A responsibly engaged person in the world is an individual who can carry out things or act without supervision or guidance. The ability of a person to be responsible stems from the virtue of accountability and the fact that the individual is answerable for his or her behavior. Indeed, being a responsible and engaged person is a symbol of maturity, good character, and reliability, which are desirable traits for any individual who possesses them. People who are responsible and engaged are usually considered as reliable and are perceived as good brothers and sisters, good neighbors, friends and, more importantly, good citizens.
Since the ancient times, scientists and philosophers have been preoccupied with the question of what it means to live well. Aristotle is one of the philosophers who has attempted to exemplify this question. According to his school of thought, living well is defined by the ability of a person to be happy. He believed that contentment is not only the meaning of life but also its purpose and entire aim and completion of human existence. Indeed, Aristotle’s credo for a well-lived life has been the candle that lights my path of life. In everything that I do and in all choices I make, the question of whether it will result in both my happiness and those around me has always lingered in my mind. In order to have a feeling of accomplishment, contentment, and peace, I make decisions that bring joy and happiness to those around me.
Civic engagement refers to the activities that a person or a group of individuals undertakes to address certain public issues of concern. It can take various forms ranging from individual to factions to international organizations. One of the things I find pleasure and happiness in doing is helping the members of my society, especially the sick people. In our contemporary times, HIV/AIDS has been an epidemic that has plagued huge numbers. Individuals who are not infected with the virus have been affected. In other words, they have had friends, relatives, and close allies who have been infected with the HIV, which is a factor that has made HIV/AIDS to be declared a worldwide disaster.
Individuals suffering from this illness face numerous challenges that surpass those posed by the physical impact of the illness. They include poverty, homophobia, and social alienation, to name but a few. Alleviating the psychological turmoil in these individuals in my community is an area I look forward to making a commitment in the near future. Through guidance and counseling, HIV/AIDS patients are relieved from the psychological turmoil that threatens to jeopardize their well-being and that of their children. Moreover, counseling helps improve the patients’ drug adherence and ability to cope with other stressors leading to an improved life.
In fact, to make a difference in the lives of individuals who have HIV/AIDS, I will employ various things. First and foremost, I will encourage them to become members of the wide range of psychosocial support groups. Secondly, I will communicate and educate the patients on the importance of counseling, how it helps in dealing with their emotional aspect of the illness, and other challenges that are not exhibited by the disease. By offering ongoing counseling to these individuals, their lives, as well as those close to them and the entire community, will be improved. In fact, this will this help improve their living conditions, which will go a long way in giving them happiness and life fulfillment.