I value many things in life, such as my family, friends, and neighbors, but one thing I value above all, is my choice to love. For without love, I wouldn't be able to care for any of these people. As a young child, my family was accepting and loving. When I was sick, they would be by my side tending to my every need. If I needed someone to vent my problems to, my mom would listen. They gave me advice, kept me safe, and kept me company. They never abandoned me. From growing up in this caring environment, it has been proved to me time after time, that no matter what situation I am in, the people I love will never fail me, and visa versa. I believe that if I have these people to lean and depend on, and I am also one of these people for them, I will never be penetrated by hate.


However, I have come across people that chose to hate instead of use their love, and even if they do love, their hate brings out the worst in them. Almost everyday, I watch my brother try to whack people with sticks, or chase after animals. But he also has his good moments. I watch him pet animals and show them affection, and make cards for someone whose sick. I think that since he is still young, he still has potential to love or hate, and I have spent endless hours wondering which road he will take. My family and I do everything within our ability to bring out the best in him, but in the end, it is his decision. I believe that one of our faults was not appreciating him as much as we should. Every day he is corrected by at least ten different people, and honestly all he needs is appreciation and he wouldn’t do half of the things he does. If everybody were correcting me, I probably would have given up. Time after time he tries to make it up though, just to be confronted by a new person who tells him what he is doing wrong rather than right. I probably will never know for sure what goes through his head, but maybe if I paid attention to him and weren’t so self centered, he wouldn’t be as lonely. Then he might be more motivated to do good, and want to love.


I believe that if we could figure out everyone that chooses not to love and why they act like they do (what I did with my brother), then together we could help them love. If each person that chooses to love, were to choose someone that doesn’t, and strived to befriend them, figure them out, and help them to love, then almost all of the world would be filled with caring people. This would result in fewer wars, countries able to cooperate with each other in order to find cures to diseases, and help poverty in some countries such as Africa. It may seem like an impossible goal, but if everyone does their small but powerful part, it would have a tremendous impact on the world. All it takes are a handful of people that choose to love, such as myself.