Assignment 19- Gus Carlson

   When I was volunteering with my church over the summer before the tenth grade in Charlotte, NC, I ended up working on a team that built a ramp for this old man(I'll call him Pete) who was wheelchair bound. Pete lived by himself, and most of his family had passed away. One day, while I was went inside his house to ask for tweezers to remove my friend's splinter, Pete approached me and asked if I wanted to talk with him. I was confused, but I accepted because I figured he didn't get to talk with many people. I gave the tweezers to my friend and sat down with Pete. He told me much of his life story, most of which I will not relay due to its length. Suffice it to say that he had suffered a great deal of loss and pain in his life, from the accident that bound him to his wheelchair to the loss of his family. One thing he said though, I will always remember: "It doesn't matter what the world does to us, but it does matter what we do to the world." This message of optimism and hope from this man who had no source for such hope inspired me. To this day I try not to focus too much on the negative. I try to have a positive impact on people's lives. I will always remember Pete and his words of wisdom.