A realization

I have just discovered something...
I don't think I'm doing nearly enough for my causes. I'm a member of lots of extracurriculars on campus, and I do lots of events related to them. I've acted in The Vagina Monologues two years in a row to raise money for domestic violence shelters. I give my blood every three months and since I can't give blood now (due to my ears being pierced), I'm donating my hair to Locks Of Love in the summer.

But (at the risk of sounding like the book "Insecure At Last"), I really don't think that what I'm doing is enough. It's so easy to march or attend meetings or even not talk for a day (that's the day of silence). Unless you are afraid of needles or scissors, it's easy to give blood or hair. They're such safe, secure ways of making your point heard. You've got the built-in solidarity of like-minded people, you're working with those people for most of the time, and it's kind of cut off from the rest of the world. And then when you're done, you can watch the march on television or read about the day of silence in the newspaper (or read people slamming it in the Orange And Blue Observer).
I want to do more.
And that is why I am going to work in crisis intervention.

The crisis center works in the moment. It helps people to get their lives back on track and provides the services and resources they need. It helps victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, hate crimes, and neglect. I want to get myself as involved in helping them. It's not just something I want to do--it's something I NEED to do. I feel it's my responsibility to assist them.

I've had people asking me, "what happens if you don't like it?" since some of the facilities needed deal with some pretty intense stuff. That's a good question, but I figure that if I don't like one of the things they need me for, I can always help them in another capacity.

They say actions speak louder than words. It's not enough for me to just spout off what I believe. I have to live it.