Unfortunate...

*Disclosure: Because of the confidentiality agreement, all information in this blog post about person(s) talked about will be kept confidential. No names will be disclosed.*

I’ve actually put a lot of thought into this blog post. I did not know if I should unleash it or not. Forgive me if my words are all over the place in this blog post, it’s just that I have a lot on my mind and am trying to throw it up on this Microsoft word document.

Actual conversation:
Me: It’s been two years and your stay with us is finally over on Friday. Are you excited about going home and seeing your family?
Client: What home? What family? They want nothing to do with me. They never really cared in the first place. If they did, instead of being absent from my life when I was younger they should have been there for me. It would have kept me off the streets.
Me: Well, before you depart we need to make sure that you have a stable home to go to, and also we require you to find a job. How is that progressing?
Client: I’ll stay with a hommie of mine, and I’m looking for a job.

Why do I mention this mini conversation? Why is it important? Why is it relevant? Well, let me tell you how I see it. I will keep in mind that everyone’s opinion is different and that you might not agree with me, which is okay.

We wake up every morning in our warm beds and the only worry some of us might have is the question "what do I wear?" Sometimes we get down about life, wonder why things are not going right. Do you ever realize that most likely occurs once in 3 or 4 months?

Some of the teens I deal with on a daily bases, never have had active parents in their lives. One of the teens I see on a daily bases, grew up with his father in and out of prison, now his father is still in prison for murder. His mother was never home when he was growing up. She worked two jobs just to make ends meet, and whenever possible would work over time. He was left in the hands of grandparents and aunts who never really cared for him. He started hanging out in the streets at a young age. Looking for that family he wished he had, looking for someone who will accept him and show him love. He got in a lot of trouble, started using drugs because it made him feel good for a little bit. Temporarily suppressed the hurt and pain he was feeling but could not express.

But that was the past. I really believe that the past is something that should not contradict who you are today. The way I see it, the minute that just past us by is also considered the past. It is about what you’re doing now, what you plan to do that makes your past disappear. I believe that you’re not a bad person, you just pick the wrong route in life. The wrong path. There is always a choice in life; it is your job to pick the best one for you at that point in time. Sometimes we have circumstances that cannot be avoided. Sometimes we are weak. There are always going to be reasons, however the mistakes you made in the past and the wrong path you took can always be fixed in the future.

I know you have read this and are asking yourself, ok what is the point of this post?
Simple:
1) Realize that there are people in this world who are less fortunate then you. When you are going through a rough phase in your life, remember things will get better. Not today, not tomorrow, not in the next hour …but one day they will.
2) Remember, instead of complaining about your life, the only way to fix it is by getting up and doing something about it. We don’t live in a Disney movie. This is not a fantasy world. Get up, and do something.
3) The past is the past, think about your next hour, your tomorrow, your future. “I always live my life an hour at a time, trying to make the next hour the best hour” –K
4) People are not bad; they just follow the wrong path. It takes longer for someone to correct that path. Everyone has their own pace.
5) You can use drugs and alcohol to feel better. I have nothing against it. Do I recommend it? No...But just remember, they aren’t good for you. They might make you feel good for a short period of time, but in the end when the effects have faded the feeling will come back again. The depression will set in again.

“What you do in life echoes in eternity.” - Unknown

“Don’t hate all the roses because you got scratched by one, do not give up all your dreams because one did not come true, do not lose faith in prayer because one was not answered, do not give up your efforts because you failed once, do not condemn all your friends because one of them betrayed you, do not stop believing in love because someone was unfaithful. Remember that another chance will come, a new friend, a new love, a new life. Never give up!” -K