Introductory note:

This article I have written is only a small endeavour to try to reflect and share a tiny fraction of my own knowledge, beliefs, humble opinions and experiences of life. It is not intended to try to reveal or impose any forms of "supreme truths" to answer the questions people have regarding life in general.

I share these thoughts, views, beliefs and feelings of mine, as a way to promote a debate and especially to inspire and encourage people to go explore in a quest for a never-ending search designed for the purpose as to achieve an enrichment and growth to enhance knowledge and spiritual developments. This as a way to provide sufficient wisdom for a sunlight of hope to emerge from the cloudiness and uncertainty of everyone's journey and odyssey in this life. Thus providing the indispensable spiritual and emotional tools to prevail over all adversities in life, tools such as wisdom, moral integrity and hope, that we require in order to improve ourselves, and the world.

Many years ago, when I was a very young boy, I looked "wide open" into the world, with an open heart and soul... and I could sense, and feel the pain that our world transmitted in many forms. I could see Nature hurting to satisfy the greedy need's of Humans, and I could see people hurting due to lack of respect for others, and the selfishness that drawn people into doing wrong things. In that time, I was extremely sensitive, since I was an empathic, which meant that I could feel pain of people and animals just by looking through their eyes deeply into their soul. And that fact made me become aware and understand the level of suffering the world was going trough. And I knew it was urgent, important to do something about it, to change things to a new perspective of life. So very early in my life, I was slowly awaken into a new sense of responsibility before the world... A sense that stated, that life was not only about me, myself, and my "inner closed world", but in fact, life was about other people, a community, a PEOPLE united... working together to try to make the dream of a better world, into a reality. Transforming what seems to be a utopia, into facts.

Unfortunately the majority of people in the world don’t have the will to build a better world. Because, unfortunately, the majority of people is too absorbed, and worried about their own world, that they cannot look into the "outside" and realise how much the world suffers and it’s true dimension. This is far from being an "easy task", by the contraire, it's a very hard thing to be altruist and to be able to "give your life" for someone, or something else. In fact, changing our own essence, our souls, is the biggest silent battle someone can face. Which means it's a very hard thing to do, the change of what we are. This is something few people can really do, because, once again, most are submerged into a material world, and prefer to ignore other's needs and feelings because it's easier to do so at the first glance. So they choose to not to be in touch with their own tender, kinder, empathic spiritual side.

People are not aware, and able to perceive that TRUE happiness comes not from how much you have and receive, but from how much you give. Giving seems to be hard and painful?! But that is not completely true, because who ever gived, either material things to people in need, time, or true friendship, and especially true love, understands the feeling of GIVING. Giving without expecting anything in return. Giving only hurts if you are not able to destroy those selfish feelings/thoughts. If you have your heart open, then It's a feeling that can bring true joy into your heart and soul, and make you feel in such ways that people don’t feel when they seek refuge into material things, when they seek refuge in illusions that are normally builded by themselves.

Yes, seeking "happiness" in material things is nothing more then seeking shallow, superficial non-lasting feelings, that give the illusion of happiness, when in fact it addicts someone into buying new things to be able to feel again, that feeling of having something new to use that is ours, something that opens new possibilities before us, but only us. In some ways it works similar to drugs, due to the addiction of always wanting more, and due to that people get trapped and don’t seem to find the way out of that emotional maze. Those are nothing more then empty emotions, that can never bring true happiness, for that is not the way to find it.

If only Mankind would realise, understand that their own happiness depends only on themselves, depends on their own will to surpass their own selfish barriers created by themselves. If Mankind could demolish those walls then there could be brighter times ahead of us. What do we need to do in order to reach that degree of maturity, intelligence, spirituality, happiness and fairness for "everyone"? We need to learn to overtone selfish and shallow needs from deep within our souls, to be able to really love and help others without asking anything in return, for that is the answer for a more fair, loving and peaceful world...

I have felt that way myself a very long time ago. I know how it feels to have our own material things, the temporary "joy" it brings... that does not lasts for long... and then we feel once more that feeling of emptiness some time after. Which we choose to try to cover up by repeating the same vicious circle that force us to return to the same spot, even if we don’t realise it. Fortunately, with the aid of God, and with my own aid, I managed to see trough the darkness, emptiness of the illusions certain things brings, and recognized after years of spiritual experience, endurance and wisdom, a path that would lead me into something new, different from "normal life", but as well... a wonderful path.

Part of that path I believe to be to serve as a volunteer. Because I know that giving "part of ourselves" to others can in fact, bring something to fill the emptiness we feel deeply inside our souls. Of course being a volunteer is not an easy "job", sometimes it can be extremely hard, especially in an emotional level since we have to deal with people that are going through much, but as well, it is also absolutely rewarding because it helps to change, to shape the world into something different, into something better, into something we dream now, but can make come true later if we don’t give up, if we always keep our faith and never stop fighting, for it does makes a difference no matter how small it is ;)

"One drop of water falls into a lake that contains millions of other water drops, but even one tiny drop hitting a lake can build waves big enough to flow and hit all the other drops around - So one drop is enough to make a change into the state of things, it is enough to make a difference"
Paulo

This is what I wish to do, a path I feel I need to travel, because since i was very young, I felt a calling that was directing me into this path, this type of life, that I wish to cross because it's my choice and because I know it is the right thing to do. Most people choose to live a "normal life" that is "basically", getting married, having kids, and then the same routine for many, many years... the going to work, going back home, going to work… and so on and so on. So I looked into this type of life and understood that my life would have to be somewhat different from this, for my mind and soul needs so much more...

... Since I could never feel really happy if I choose to ignore this inner call of mine. I could never feel really happy knowing there were other people suffering in the world while I would not do anything to change that fact. I feel a responsibility before the world that I cannot deny. So this is why I choose... volunteer work... To help make a difference, to help to build a better world for ourselves, and future generations...

If everyone has their heart and soul "open" and aware, listening deep into themselves, then it is possible for each one to find their own individual path, what ever it might be, and by consequence, to find the happiness and love each one seeks. I believe we all have an inner calling, "something" that tries to show us a path that we should take, a path that would leads us into the happiness, into the love, into the fulfilling of the emptiness in our souls... To find that path, we normally rely sonly on God and ourselves, on our own ability and willingness to listen to what our spirit cries for. We all listen to different calls, so we all have many different paths to trail. Many different tasks to perform, many different things to change. Many, if not most of the times we finally managed to decipher the meaning of our inner call, we find out that in order to accept that call, we require a very big amount of courage to be able to undertake such task, many times by radically changing our life style. It’s our own choice to either accept or deny such changes into our lives. But, if we deny it, would we be doing the right thing, for others and ourselves? That answer lies only in each one of us.

"Coward is not the one who cries out of love, but the one who does not loves with the fear of crying."

By Paulo (Year 2001)