The Reason Why

In my room, right above my bed, there is a poster. On that poster there is a saying by an unknown author, from some unknown place, “I am fairly certain that, given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world.” That is where the need grew from, the unknown. I have tried unsuccessfully for years to satisfy this itch, this primal yearning to protect the ones I love, the ones who can’t help themselves. So, I developed a particular fondness for self-sacrificing heroes and heroines, and an intense idolization of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and her “gang,” fighting off evil that no one else can see. In short, they saved the world. I dreamt and waited and daydreamed and waited and waited. Finally, I took action. I may not be able to prevent the apocalypse, or slay vampires, or face unspeakable evil, but I can help, even if that is all I can do.
A plane will serve as my cape, the Costa Rican climate and hot tropical sun my crown, saving turtles my labor of love. I have heard the call of Daniel Quinn’s “Ishmael,” and have every intention of answering it by digging holes in the sand or guiding baby sea turtles to the edge of the ocean. Now, why should I go all the way down to Costa Rica to work on a service project? I have asked myself this same question so many times I may have finally come up with an answer.
Simply put, Costa Rica is different from anything I have ever known and, possibly, will ever know. This may seem like a weak argument to many people; however, I have never truly known any manner of existence than my own, the privileged life of the middle-class American. Here I have a real opportunity to help those who cannot help themselves in a place that is making leaps and bounds towards becoming one of the most “green” countries in the world. Furthermore, the organization that I have been in contact with is designed to be accessible to those who wish to explore but may not be able to due to financial limitations. I spent four days looking for a program that would fit my family’s financial needs and would provide me with an opportunity to see the world, or part of it. This organization also adheres to a very honorable philosophy and gives all of its proceeds to the local organization it is connected to. Yes, I could stay here in Idaho and work to help people locally, but why deny myself the chance to experience a different culture and way of life? If I can learn to help others globally, with an organization that has been functioning for years, then I can return to help serve a place I am familiar with to the best of my ability. Having exposed myself and helped to further the preservation of that which is different, I can then save that which is familiar, that which I love. From there I can begin the most meaningful journey I will ever take. I can begin to save the world.