Sunt oameni care merg la lucru nu la munca, sau care, vorba romanului, ‘ard gazul de pomana’. Nu pentru ei e acest post.
In societatea noastra in care teoria formelor fara fond a lui Maiorescu inca se aplica, exista politicieni, profesori, organizatii ecologice, biserici (si lista e lunga) doar cu numele. Nici lor nu ma adresez.

Cand auzim de voluntariat, unii ne gandim la acele companii care argumentand ca cv-ul tau va fi mai bogat odata ce lucrezi la ei, iti ofera ‘oportunitatea’ sa lucrezi la ei pe gratis (cu alte cuvinte). O fi avand si asta unele beneficii, in lipsa de altceva, dar totusi parca mai corect s-ar numi serviciu (munca mea) contra serviciu (un rand in plus la CV + experienta) decat voluntariat.

Si totusi, sunt organizatii care prin voluntariat au schimbat macar un pic lumea in care traim: Crucea Rosie, Medici Fara Frotiere, etc. Stiu prea putine despre ele, acest filmulet insa mi le-a adus in fata si m-a pus pe ganduri. Si asta e pentru ca imi dau seama ca fiecare dintre noi poate face cate un act de voluntariat, cat de mic.

Suntem ocupati, nu avem timp nici pentru famila noastra sau prieteni pe cat ne-am dori, suntem continuu grabiti, dezamagiti, nemultumiti de societatea in care traim. Dar ma intreb de ce in 2h pe care ni le-am petrece intr-o discutie cu cineva sau pe internet ca sa criticam una sau alta, nu le-am putea folosi mai bine dand niste consultatii gratuite pentru copii daca suntem profesori, rezolvand o carie unui sarac, daca suntem stomatologi, imbunatatind un cod open source daca suntem programatori sau pur si simplu plantand un pom sau aruncand o mana de seminte de iarba daca suntem someri (si exemplele pot continua). Nu trebuie sa fim in nici o organizatie de voluntariat, daca nu ne dorim asta, insa fiecare dintre noi poate face ceva constructiv, care cel mai probabil nu va schimba fata lumii, dar va conta suficent de mult pentru cineva si/sau (in cele din urma) noi toti.

túrána hott kurdís by hasta la otra méxico! from Till Credner on Vimeo.

Wear Sunscreen este numele unui eseu scris de Mary Schmich, publicat in Chicago Tribune in 1997.

In 1999 devine cunoscut prin single-ul de succes al lui Baz Luhrmann.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97… wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT.

The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience.

I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked.

You are NOT as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. The race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own.

Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you’ll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.