My Wondering Mind

I have been thinking about what a home is to those who are less fortunate than most. There were some saddening thoughts which presented themselves. One might think that a family who comes from a disheartening, poverty ridden environment would want a traditional style home. I asked myself why: And I concluded that perhaps its because it is what they are most familiar with and exposed to through daily travel or TV or magazines. They see the cute little house with the picket fence and just daydream of having something better one day (that is unless, their spirit has been completely broken). They might consider this recurring image of a home as a luxury. And I considered why: The home serves as stability. I imagined what it must be like to live in an environment where some of the appliances don't work, or maybe there is masking tape over a broken window, or if there was only heat/air-conditioning in some of the rooms, or if there were rodents and pests which invaded your space and caused destruction to the place you call home, or if the floors were not fully intact or uneven or not level, or if your bathing area was sub-standard and the room in your are supposed to feel clean and refreshed left you with a sense of disgust instead. These may be extreme thoughts but there are many who live in those conditions for their entire lifetime. The psychological effect this might have on a person is beyond my imagination. I would think that it leaves one feeling continually uneasy, never being able to relax knowing that something may break or colapse at any time and still you must work to survive in this environment. Or worse, knowing that you must raise a family in these conditions.
A profound realization about why I have chosen the field of architecture occurred within me. I want to create an environment which builds self confidence, integrity and identity. People who live in these conditions are oppressed by them. They don't chose these environments and therefore, they are unable to completely embrace an identity which is their own. They see what they relate to normality and yet they are independently not capable of attaining it. I would like to improve the livelihood of a family who may suffer from some of these living conditions. I would like to help design/build a home of which one can be proud and relax. And one which encourages personal/family growth with comfortable amenities among a welcoming community.
We are all part of a community of human beings. And it is our responsibilty to be proactive in improving lives all around us. We all have unique talents and skills. What are they worth if we don't share them to improve life.