"Design Like You Give a Damn"

I just totally like this title. It is a slogan of the organization Architecture for Humanity.

Let me start off with a side note first. This is my first "concavity | reflection" entry. I wanted to have this category on my blog since I had "convexity | sharing", yet it is not easy to do so. It took me quite a long while to decide to post any self-reflection as an entry. I always try not to make my blog too deeply personal, however I guess once I have started to write, and once there are some ideas within me that I crave to share, it is not easy to make the postings neutral and impersonal enough. Hopefully, this "convexity" after the "concavity" would be able to convey some ideas meaningful enough.

A few days ago, while I was browsing online randomly, I found this website of a charitable organization called Architecture for Humanity. It is an organization that seeks architectural solutions to humanitarian crises and brings professional design services to communities in need. They believe that where resources and expertise are scarce, innovative, sustainable and collaborative design can make a difference [from wikipedia]. I was so excited when I saw the website. This is exactly what I have been looking for and what I have been wanting to do and to get involved with. I always believe that we should design and build with human in mind; we should be building FOR human, FOR those who live in it, not for those who sell them. We should provide an environment that the users really need and that they really long for. We should design and build in a way that would improve the current communities/society and the quality of life. In big, we should build a better world.

After reading the descriptions on their website for awhile, I started to look at any possible volunteering or job opportunities that they may have. I got more and more excited about it even though none of the opportunities are located in Vancouver. I kept looking at them, and was going to register for the volunteering opportunities, but then I hesitated. All of the sudden, I stopped and asked myself if I am qualified. Looking at their projects and all the competitions they are holding and held... I have no confidence that I would be qualified... I asked myself whether I will be able to come up with a design if I were to be given one of their projects now. I do not even know what an humanitarian architecture should be... what a sustainable design should be... what the difference is to build in 3rd world countries than in our countries... what do they really need... what "people in need" really needs? etc etc etc......

Then I once again know I still have lots to learn. I still have tons to do to get myself prepared for what I really want to do in the future. When we make ourselves packed with things to do daily, when we are busy going to any random direction that we thought it would get us closer to our dreams, have we forgotten to slow down and sit back to think what we are lacking? Is it really just opportunity that we are lacking? Or aren't we still missing something in our own qualifications? When we are waiting for opportunities to come, have we got ourselves prepared for them while waiting? And how? Yes.. and how?

Just now, reading what I just wrote, I remember the book Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson. This story reminds me to always get ourselves ready for any changes in life - as always have your runners prepared around your shoulders for any run anytime needed.