told that we must empathize understand
and think compassionately but what
duties now common phrases truly mean
traditions moulded by others haunt these
ideals these are concepts believed to be
the cornerstone of ethical society the
groundwork to form a more inclusive and
caring world the ideas and inspirations
we teach children to care for others
help those in need and be selfless if
these are truly ideas that have been
realised and expressed to their full
capacity then why do we hear of refugee
children starving families and oppressed
societies could it be that our
intentions to empathize understand and
think compassionately are overwhelming
to the individual do we try leftist or
Sue’s that do not fit experience is
foreign and unrelatable to our own are
ones that we are expected to understand
I grew up with three cousins who to me
appeared normal they’re older than I am
and in our childhood enjoyed differing
pastimes and games nonetheless I thought
we were the same however I wasn’t worthy
all had type 1 diabetes I never really
understood what that meant or how it
affected their lives whatever meat I saw
devices sort of like little phones
attached their waist bands and always
wondered what they were was disconnected
from their world the world of everyday
injections and constant pricking of the
finger to test blood a world I was ever
exposed to or encountered three weeks
before the end of a last school year I
lay on a hospital bed staring blankly at
the Bleak ceiling unaware of my fate the
room was cold physically and emotionally
the walls were confining and
concentrating my anxieties and the nurse
tests my blood sugar
the reading was about 500 at the time I
was unaware of what that meant or how
dangerous it was nor did I realize the
fundamental place those numbers would
take in my life there’s no one moment
when they told me but a realization that
came over time first I could not process
could not believe that I was broken
and would be for the rest of my life
that my life depended on pens filled
with insulin that I was to be the kid
with the strange little device that sort
of looked like a phone on my waistband I
was to live the reality of multiple
daily injections and constant breaking
in the finger to test blood a reality
unimaginable to my previous self
genetically I was already predisposed to
developing type 1 diabetes but never
aware of its relevance to me I was
always so close to the disease my
navigable reality yet always separated
by my ability to understand never really
fueled my cousin’s felt the feelings of
helplessness and dependence I was
distant disconnected and oblivious
naivety appeared to be my main weakness
however as an outsider I was never able
to grasp the emotional strain put on my
cousin’s just as it is true that we as
outsiders will never know what it feels
like to be a refugee child a portable
serving family or oppressed by
government we will never be able to
truly empathize or understand that which
is so foreign distant and an experience
which we may never possess if this
reality should not discourage us from
yearning to make a change in the world
what we must realized that the worldwide
refugee crisis began in someone’s
neighborhood every mass famines are
small hunger and nationwide oppression
begins with one decision to silence
others we are blinded by massive
problems and make us feel helpless that
the needs of our local communities are
neglected must not think how can we help
others but listen to how they want to be
helped by reaching out to issues near to
us and communicating with individuals in
need we have the potential to address
small problems that may explode
unmanageable sizes and physicial be
placed on listening rather than
understanding imagine a world in which
each community reflects on the major
issues it is faced by and through
communication addresses these problems
they’re unable to solve them from within
aid may be sent specifically to their
needs
thus problems can be recognized and
acknowledged with context and awareness
thinking compassionately does not mean
and
the understanding we are unable to live
the lives of others thinking
compassionately means listening to
people’s truths communicating our own
thank you [Applause]
and think compassionately but what
duties now common phrases truly mean
traditions moulded by others haunt these
ideals these are concepts believed to be
the cornerstone of ethical society the
groundwork to form a more inclusive and
caring world the ideas and inspirations
we teach children to care for others
help those in need and be selfless if
these are truly ideas that have been
realised and expressed to their full
capacity then why do we hear of refugee
children starving families and oppressed
societies could it be that our
intentions to empathize understand and
think compassionately are overwhelming
to the individual do we try leftist or
Sue’s that do not fit experience is
foreign and unrelatable to our own are
ones that we are expected to understand
I grew up with three cousins who to me
appeared normal they’re older than I am
and in our childhood enjoyed differing
pastimes and games nonetheless I thought
we were the same however I wasn’t worthy
all had type 1 diabetes I never really
understood what that meant or how it
affected their lives whatever meat I saw
devices sort of like little phones
attached their waist bands and always
wondered what they were was disconnected
from their world the world of everyday
injections and constant pricking of the
finger to test blood a world I was ever
exposed to or encountered three weeks
before the end of a last school year I
lay on a hospital bed staring blankly at
the Bleak ceiling unaware of my fate the
room was cold physically and emotionally
the walls were confining and
concentrating my anxieties and the nurse
tests my blood sugar
the reading was about 500 at the time I
was unaware of what that meant or how
dangerous it was nor did I realize the
fundamental place those numbers would
take in my life there’s no one moment
when they told me but a realization that
came over time first I could not process
could not believe that I was broken
and would be for the rest of my life
that my life depended on pens filled
with insulin that I was to be the kid
with the strange little device that sort
of looked like a phone on my waistband I
was to live the reality of multiple
daily injections and constant breaking
in the finger to test blood a reality
unimaginable to my previous self
genetically I was already predisposed to
developing type 1 diabetes but never
aware of its relevance to me I was
always so close to the disease my
navigable reality yet always separated
by my ability to understand never really
fueled my cousin’s felt the feelings of
helplessness and dependence I was
distant disconnected and oblivious
naivety appeared to be my main weakness
however as an outsider I was never able
to grasp the emotional strain put on my
cousin’s just as it is true that we as
outsiders will never know what it feels
like to be a refugee child a portable
serving family or oppressed by
government we will never be able to
truly empathize or understand that which
is so foreign distant and an experience
which we may never possess if this
reality should not discourage us from
yearning to make a change in the world
what we must realized that the worldwide
refugee crisis began in someone’s
neighborhood every mass famines are
small hunger and nationwide oppression
begins with one decision to silence
others we are blinded by massive
problems and make us feel helpless that
the needs of our local communities are
neglected must not think how can we help
others but listen to how they want to be
helped by reaching out to issues near to
us and communicating with individuals in
need we have the potential to address
small problems that may explode
unmanageable sizes and physicial be
placed on listening rather than
understanding imagine a world in which
each community reflects on the major
issues it is faced by and through
communication addresses these problems
they’re unable to solve them from within
aid may be sent specifically to their
needs
thus problems can be recognized and
acknowledged with context and awareness
thinking compassionately does not mean
and
the understanding we are unable to live
the lives of others thinking
compassionately means listening to
people’s truths communicating our own
thank you [Applause]
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