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Ather Ali

By Daily Bruin Staff

Nov. 12, 1997 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, November 13, 1997

Always remember others’ sacrifices

GRATITUDE:

Give thanks to people who helped you reach where you are now

So it’s raining again. Traditionally, the rain symbolized
renewal and life. Agriculture flourished, and people celebrated its
arrival. Today, we have acid rain and oil-slicks, power outages and
accidents on the 405 Freeway.

Something that was once so celebrated and loved has become a
mere annoyance. We end up complaining about the rain, forgetting
the fact that it invigorates the earth and provides a means for us
to live. And just as we malign the rain, we tend to complain, not
acknowledging how fortunate we are to be here.

As students, we’re here trying to improve ourselves with an
education, whether it be for our own intellectual, material or
social benefit, or just in order to fulfill the dreams of people
that truly care about us. Some of us are the first people in our
families to study at a university. Some of us come from a long
tradition of higher education. Whatever the case, we are doing
something proactive for the benefit of ourselves and others. As
faculty and staff, we are spending our lives doing something we
consider worthwhile and productive, whether it be research,
teaching, or just plain work. Even if we don’t give a damn about
what we do, at least we have a source of income.

There are millions of people who only dream of what we have.
People are dying all over the world just for an opportunity to live
in the relative freedom that we have. There are many people on the
streets of Westwood, shivering in the rain, that would appreciate a
$5 per hour fast-food job. Whether you believe in divine grace or
mere chance, you are fortunate for your opportunities. You could
have easily been one of the poor children that make the Nike shoes
that you proudly sport, ASUCLA gleefully profits from and USAC
rightly condemns.

Let’s stop complaining and realize how fortunate we are. Let’s
look beyond our everyday routine and see that outside of our ivory
towers is a world full of injustice and oppression, and that we, by
virtue of where we are and what we are doing, have the ability to
make a change. No matter how much we think "life sucks," our life
is better than 99 percent of everyone else in the world.

By virtue of our station, then, we are the ones who can make a
change. For those of you who don’t see a problem, or enjoy
oppressing others, realize that pleasures are fleeting, and death
is inevitable. For those of you who care, there are ample ways to
help: UCLA has opportunities and resources that are unparalleled.
All you have to do is find your niche, and go from there.

The Community Programs Office in 102 Men’s Gym houses dozens of
projects bound to the ideal of promoting "a conscious effort in the
community." It is run by a wonderful staff of wise and dedicated
people that truly care about issues facing the larger
community.

The Center for Student Programming in 105 Kerckhoff Hall can
connect you to some of the groups on campus that use whatever skill
you have to make this world a better place. There are also a number
of proactive organizations on the third floor of Kerckhoff. And for
you Center for Health Science people, the School of Medicine has a
Community Service Consortium.

Of course, there are many more groups of people doing sincere
work on this campus, but I don’t know much about them.

Let’s stop being whiners and complainers. If we see an
injustice, let us be people who make an effort to change it. Let us
not be people of miserliness and selfishness. Let us not be
heedless and time-wasters. Let the appropriate people know that
they are appreciated.

A wise man said: "Sound science and conclusive proofs have
established that everything in the universe, whether it be high or
low, articulate or dumb, is interconnected. The universe is
constructed of harmoniously interrelated and interacting forces."
Know that your success lies on the backs of other people’s hard
work. You wouldn’t be able to read this if someone did not
sacrifice for you. Someone helped you out. Someone cared about you.
Whether these people are your parents, partners, friends,
counselors, teachers, siblings or employees, let them know that
they are appreciated.

If you believe in a higher power, thank your creator. If you
don’t, thank Darwin, Descartes, Democritus, Bill Clinton, Michael
Jackson, yourself or whoever else you feel obligated to.

Last week, Time magazine published an issue commemorating the
contributions of a few people that they selected as "heroes" of
western medicine. In it are many stories that reflect an attitude
of optimism and wisdom. These people used their skills and
knowledge to make positive changes. In it can be a reminder and
inspiration for all of us.

Ali is a 1997 UCLA alumnus.

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