Life is full of ups and downs. These different experiences have a direct effect on one’s conscience about life as a whole. Some individuals have encountered death by a whisker through accidents, and such events make them question the true value of life. Owing to such reasons, they end up being more religious or spiritually inclined to a higher deity. From my personal experience, I have had a situation that resulted in changing my perspective about certain things such as race and religion. When I was growing up, I did not have friends from other religions or races. As such, I used to find individuals’ cultures different and judge them sometimes. However, when I joined university, my views from the societal construct about certain races and religions changed. Therefore, a person’s life can be changed by a personal experience such as the death of a loved one, diseases, and volunteering.
When individuals lose their loved ones, they experience grief. These losses can be consuming as the person does not know what to do with their lives since they had developed an attachment to the deceased. For instance, they can be physically, financially, and emotionally committed. These aspects make them feel like they are in another universe when they die (White al., 2010). During these times, people can teach who their true friends or family are, which in turn make their relationship stronger. Besides, if they depended financially on the deceased person. As such, they learn to manage their finances well. This illustration shows how life events can change one’s perspective about life.
Additionally, the act of volunteering usually has life-long lessons for individuals. From experience, after volunteering, there is satisfaction one acquires. For instance, I became happier and lived a more full-filled life. Also, when I volunteered I realized that I was more contented with what I have regarding money and lifestyle. When one sees the deplorable conditions others are going through, you will understand the gift of life is not inclined towards finances only. I realized personally I could be of importance to others and never take life for granted (Shagurova et al., 2016). Similar to Morgan’s guilt after the scientist questioned her purpose to kill the ant-like creature which was seemingly harmless in “The Large Ant Story” (Fast, 1961).
Also, the impact of chronic diseases on one’s life can change their perspective about life. The primary reason is that diseases usually have a psychological impact on an individual and their loved ones. As a result, when individuals successfully cope with the situation, their perspective about life changes. Individuals will compare how they were social before and after the diseases. This comparison makes them appreciate the small important things in life. For instance, before individuals have chronic illnesses, they probably had friends at their own pleasure. However, once an individual encounters a life-threatening disease, the friends reduce (White et al., 2010). The ones that remain, in this case, are priceless. It teaches one compassion and more so, empathy. This stance is related when the scientist asked Morgan the true intention of killing the “The Large Ant”, and he replied with a holistic mentality rather than as an individual (Fast, 1961). The subsequent queries by the scientist made Morgan realize there was no reason at all for killing, which showcases the remorse he felt similar to how individuals suffering from chronic illnesses feel after they lose some friends.
Overall, significant events can transform the way an individual perceives life. Chronic illnesses, the death of a loved one, and volunteering acts can change peoples’ lives. For instance, volunteering makes one appreciate the small things they have while the death of a loved one can teach individuals to manage their finances more effectively. These stances explain how certain encounters can alter our psychological state.
References
Fast, Howard (1961). The Large Ant. In M. Judith(Ed.). 6th annual of the year’s best S-F. (pp. 140-149). New York: Simon and Schuster, 1961.
Shagurova, A. A., Ivanovna, E. G., Aleksandrovna, B. I., Denisenko, S. I., Valerievich, T. M., Viktorovna, N. M., & Potutkova, S. A. (2016). Characteristics of the Essence of Volunteering in Psychology. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(15), 8572-8579.
White, V. B., Leib, J. R., Farmer, J. M., & Biesecker, B. B. (2010). Exploration of transitional life events in individuals with Friedreich ataxia: Implications for genetic counseling. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 6(1), 1-12.
