copyright deborah kunzie

Rising from slavery to become one of the world’s most respected and honored men, George Washington Carver devoted his life to understanding nature and the many uses for the simplest of plant life.

His practical and benevolent approach to science was based on a profound religious faith to which he attributed all his accomplishments. He always believed that faith and inquiry were not only compatible paths to knowledge, but that their interaction was essential if truth in all its manifold complexity was to be approximated.

Always modest about his success, he saw himself as a vehicle through which nature, God and the natural bounty of the land could be better understood and appreciated for the good of all people.

Dr. Carver took a holistic approach to knowledge, which embraced faith and inquiry in a unified quest for truth. Carver also believed that commitment to a Larger Reality is necessary if science and technology are to serve human needs rather than the egos of the powerful. His belief in service was a direct outgrowth and expression of his wedding of inquiry and commitment.

He gave up a comfortable life in Iowa to move into Alabama to help people in more difficult circumstances. And he did it with minimal resources or support. By thinking beyond himself he discovered significance.

One of his favorite sayings was:

“It is not the style of clothes one wears,

neither the kind of automobile one drives,

nor the amount of money one has in the bank, that counts.

These mean nothing.

It is simply service that measures success.”

This is the kind of unselfish thinking and success I wish to obtain. Helping people succeed. By narrowing my field of focus to being a vehicle through which God and Nature can use me to reach others. I do not wish to live a self-centered life or an empty life. I want to improve my world by focusing on helping others and Nature.

I want to invest in those who also have something to offer to others. I want to show these people how their talents and gifts can add more value to the world and those following them. To do this I had to put myself into a position where I could see these peoples needs.