"We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." - Mother Teresa of Calcutta
I was reading the Chicago Tribune and came across this article about several homeless teens that, against the odds and life's circumstances, not only completed high school (some with honors!) but are also preparing for their 1st year in college!
I was touched on several levels. One, being a former homeless person myself, I know how difficult it is to focus on anything constructive let alone something so thought intensive as school. It's no small task finding courage to get out of bed (if you even have one), get dressed and deal with the trials and tribulations of daily work life; I'd imagine it's just as bad – or worse – for a high school student.
Second, how did the parents feel? Though the parents were portrayed as unsupportive we must remember that everyone deals with difficulty and challenging situations according to the level of emotional/spiritual intelligence they have in that moment. Am I condoning what they did? No. However, imagine what the outcome would have been if these same parents had access to parenting counseling or simply had been given positive examples of how to handle their child's "mistakes". Would things have been different?
Finally, I think about the reasons why each of them had to go through such hardships. I think about what they must have thought while tackling the challenges of being a homeless student and undoubtedly the subject of daily ridicule. How many times did they come close to giving up? I think about my own struggles during my three years of homelessness and those of my wife (she was homeless when we met).
I truly believe that those experiences sculpted us into better people. They exposed us to who our real friends were and taught us valuable lessons in compassion, humility and self worth. I'd bet my last dollar these students would admit the same.
So…to Nasia, Priscilla and Jeffery, I want to congratulate you on a job VERY well done and continued success to you as you persist in your efforts to rise above. You are all GREAT inspirations for our youth and adults alike.
Meditate on This: I will continue to press forward with the faith that my goals will be achieved in Divine time.
Have a PERFECT day!
Michael
My II Sense
(Tribune photo by Heather Charles / July 24, 2009)
This is awesome.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me think about all the people out there with all the opportunity, but waisting life, doing nothing constructive.
Hey JenellyBean! Thanks for commenting. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat would you say to a friend or family member you thought was wasting their life away? Would you say anything at all or would you just allow them to continue "wasting" time?
I think what most folks consider as someone wasting time is just their own personal defense mechanism for dealing with adversity. You can can't stop your own growth - delay it, slow it down, yes but not stop it.
What someone like that needs is our constant encouragement, not our judgment. By doing so we allow the person the space needed to grow out of their despair or "laziness" and into the person they are destined to be.
What do you think?
It's stories such as this that keep me hopeful about the next generation. Sometimes the difference between success and failure is simply one's mindset and commitment to taking small steps toward goals. Great story to highlight!
ReplyDelete@CurvyGurl
ReplyDeleteThanks Mel! Like I mentioned in the blog this story is "close to home" with me. My family was homeless for about 3 years and it felt like I heard from every naysayer in the book. "It's your fault you're homeless." "You have a job/You're working, how can you be homeless?" A real man wouldn't have let his family come to this." Mind you these are just the - AHEM - opinions that I got. My wife's family/friends were worse.
So yeah, I was compelled to show my love for these and other teens like them that stayed their course and prevailed in spite of the world around them.
Thanks as always for commenting. :)
Daily I hear people complaining about what they have and do not have. Daily I hear people making excuses for failure. It is always good to hear stories of people succeeding despite the odds arrayed against them. Truly insprational. I'll have to show my kids this one.
ReplyDelete@Max
ReplyDeleteI did the same thing! My kids are always talking about how difficult this or that is or (when we were homeless) that it's impossible to get good grades because of their situation. After reading this all they could do was stand there in silence.
They are better now though. I've been drilling it into their heads that they can achieve anything they want in life. They know now that whether you say you can or you can't you are right in both instances.
Thanks for posting!
Now thats dedication, and I'm very proud. Some people with all the opportunity in the world do absolutely nothing with it; and that's a shame. I still have cousins in Africa who have to pay a bribe just to attend school, although I have my own struggles in Canada, in comparison to them, I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I am definitely making sure I do something with my life!
ReplyDelete@Retromus-ik
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. What steps do you take to ensure you are living the life you feel you were meant to live? In other words, what do you do to make sure you are doing something with your life?
BTW - Thanks for following MIIS; I'm following your blog as well. You've got some nice posts. Keep up the good work. :)