<p>"Tell us about a contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?" </p>
<p>On the death anniversary of my grandparents, my family makes a trip each year to our ancestral village. We spend time with our relatives and locals distributing food, clothing and money among village communities. The inner satisfaction of providing my support to those in need is a feeling like no other.</p>
<pre><code> In the summer of 2010, however, I met the weekend before the trip with a lot of skepticism. The ill gratitude I saw among some of the villagers during our last trip caused me to question the significance of our efforts, but that forthcoming visit changed my perspective for a lifetime. We were welcomed very differently that year; our arrival brought the whole village upon their feet. Children gathered, elders brought garlands, and suddenly I started feeling special again. After the early formalities, we sat down for our routine talk with the village panchayat and found that our arrival couldn’t come at a better time. Rains had eluded the village for over 3 months causing the villagers to lose their livelihood, and in such hard times, they sought our support. Their plea didn’t seem selfish, as their requests were to fulfill need and not greed, though deep inside, what motivated my diligence towards their cause was a feeling of belonging. Working with the villagers in all of their activities over the next few days, I felt like a part of something bigger. From milking the cows to cooking for over 300 people, I saw my efforts transform into joy, satisfaction and hope. That specific village experience was one to cherish; from the successful development we brought about in the village community to the epiphany that changed me as an individual, that journey was unforgettable.
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<p>Reminiscing today, it isn’t the effort that I am proud of, which impacted just one village, but the motivation I have carried then on, that’ll influence so many more. That one visit, changed the way I look back to all my prior memories of the village, changed the way I assess my responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others when I have the strength to do so. The happiness we spread each year, the feelings we elicit and the lives we touched just gave me a glimpse of the impact one gesture of togetherness can have. On a personal level, the trip made me grow as a more empathetic individual, mature enough to realize the importance of the small things in life. </p>
<pre><code> There are many villages, communities and people today all around the world that need our support and compassion; underprivileged, hurt and suffering, these individuals motivate me to work, to keep moving forward and one day bring back the tools for change.
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