Helping People

At a young age—around 15 years old—I encountered a conundrum. I was a helpful kid, always taking pride in assisting strangers in malls, on the streets, wherever I could. One day, someone asked me, “What if you’re taken advantage of? What if they lead you into an alley and rob you?”

After thinking for a while, I answered, “Then I’ll be strong enough to be taken advantage of, to be robbed, and still help the next stranger I meet.”

This thought process has guided me ever since. I don’t want to become the kind of person who stops helping others because I got scammed once. I aim to be strong enough to face loss without being diminished by it. I strive to accumulate enough wealth to endure theft once or twice and to need so little that loss becomes irrelevant. This is how I have chosen to live.

I am not fazed by threats to my way of life simply because I decide to be helpful. I have seen enough to trust that people will intervene when they witness injustice, sincerity, or need. I intend to be one of those people—not someone embittered by being burned once or twice, deciding to protect myself above all else.

Note: this was written with the aid of ChatGPT.