Wristband

I wear a Make Poverty History wristband all the time. I don't care where I am or what I'm wearing. I heard somebody say once that they weren't wearing their's because it "didn't match the outfit". Stupid. I wear it because it matches who I am, because it represents something I firmly believe in.

Several times this year, people have asked me where to get one from, and how to buy one. Each time they've been relative strangers. Every time, I have felt the strongest impulse to do something nice. So in all cases, I've taken off whatever band I have on, and give it to them. Once, a person that I had given one to lost it within a week, and randomly saw me a week later. So I gave them the one I had again. Why? Because it's more important that they have it and remember what it stands for, because I can always get more, and it's already so firmly stamped into my mind and heart. Yesterday I gave away another one, to someone from one of my classes.

I don't want to come across as feeling very self-satisfied for doing such a little thing. Plus, I do lots of things that probably aren't very nice. But doing random nice things makes me feel good, and what's more, a $2 wristband for another person openly supporting and caring about making poverty history seems like a fair trade to me. (Ha. "Fair trade"... Make Trade Fair. I'm a poverty nerd.)