Mariah in the chapel of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Pediatric Center.
Written by volunteer Mariah L., age 19
Mariah studies Interior Architecture and Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design.
We don’t realize how much we have until we gaze upon and assist those who have nothing. We often take for granted the food we consume and the place where we live and sleep. Often we complain about the minor inconveniences in our lives-- I know I had a negative thought or two about the firmness of my pillow at the convent. But when I interacted with the lonely inhabitants of the crowded city, I realized we need to put things in perspective. How can we let the mentally disabled and the helpless live outside, on the side of the road? How can we pass by a human soul and ignore it until it withers and decays into the landscape of the city? Why are we groomed to ignore the homeless-- someone’s son, someone’s sister or cousin? Was it a conscious choice that brought them to this street corner? Probably not.
We need to help those who cannot help themselves. This experience gave me a chance to do just that.
