In honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the founder of CARP, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, CARP hosted a writing contest for students to submit what inspires them about Father Moon’s legacy. Here is the second place entry:
By Sasha Okon, CARP New Jersey
Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s legacy of living for the sake of others inspired people to understand their inner value and live a life empowered to make a difference. Being part of CARP, I had the opportunity to meet many different people who come from different backgrounds. Although different, most people wanted to live a good life and be good people but didn’t know how. I remember meeting a person who said that they believed there is a purpose to life but would not be able to find it in their lifetime.
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to go to Costa Rica to support the CARP chapter there, and it was an incredible experience. Even though Costa Rica is one of the happiest places on Earth, I met people who faced difficulties in their life and didn’t know what their purpose was; however, through Rev. Moon’s teachings and their experiences in CARP, they have transformed into leaders who are willing to put their desires aside and live for their country. Witnessing this, I cannot help but be inspired and moved by how much Rev. Moon’s teachings have impacted people’s lives.
Today, we live in a society where we’ve become reluctant to care for others and sacrifice ourselves, even for the people right next to us; I experienced this myself many times. However, Rev. Moon’s legacy of living for the sake of others has shown me that living for others is the key to living a fulfilled and joyful life.
Rev. Moon lived a life of deep suffering; he lost many of his loved ones, was separated from his family due to the Korean War, and was misunderstood by many people. However, in all the pictures I’ve seen of him, he always has the biggest and happiest smile. Sometimes, I think that it is impossible to let go of my judgments and overcome the challenges I face, but Rev. Moon has shown me that I can and is capable of loving others and living a true fulfilled life.