From the Front Page Sections, on the matter of substance abuse, translated…
“A candidate talked of how we need to tackle the problem of drug abuse, he’d said, that he was going to set up a de-tox program, that helps the users get off of their addictions psychologically”, my good friend who’s a CEO asked for my opinion when I paid him a visit, I said, that being able to see, that drug abuse is a problem is great, but, if you can get a step further, into understand why the children are using, then, start the education, reformation process, it would work even better.
The CEO told me, then, it would be you, teachers’ problems then! I’d told the CEO, that “education should not be limited to just within the four walls of the schools, and ignoring the importance of family’s, as well as the society’s role…”
After I retired, I’d gone to a charitable foundation regularly each and every week to volunteer, this facility takes in the children that came from the system or the courts. And, the CEO lives very close to the group home, at first, when he’d heard, that I’d gone there to volunteer, he’d commended me, “Yeah! You, would have a HUGE impact on the place!”, he’d mentioned how I worked as the disciplinary officer, principal, that I’m amazing and harsh, wouldn’t back down, that I won’t get freaked out by those “bad” children at all.
Back then, I’d told him immediately, that the kids aren’t that bad, but, he’d insisted, that “what he’d heard from others is the truth”, wanted me to spend some time there first.
After accompanying these children for a couple of months, I’d told them stories, then, I’d heard their stories, I know, that the stories I’d told them, will NEVER be as twisting and turning, as the stories they’d told me, the only difference is that when I tell the stories, I could help them heal, to encourage them to be better, to put that little hope, back into their futures.
“The kids really enjoy story time with you”, the manager of the group of social workers told me, from the observations of how the kids are so focused when I’m telling the stories, I’d sighed, although I kept trying hard, to give them encouragements and boosts, hoping that they will be brave, so they can face up to the trials of their own lives, but, do the kids, really have, what it takes, to face everything that’s happened in their lives?
Last month, a last year middle school student discussed his future with me, he loved music, but he couldn’t take any music lessons, “I must learn a viable skill, to support myself”, he’d told me, there was that calmness to his tone of voice when he’d told me, but, there was that scent of how he was, being forced to make that choice in life.
This child was adopted since birth, the adoptive parents were divorced, his custody went to his adoptive father, but, his adoptive father died two years ago unfortunately, he’d become orphaned again, because of how lonely he felt, he’d started, hanging with the wrong crowds, and was drawn in by illegal substances too, and so, that, was why he was sent to this facility that I’m telling the stories in, after he’d had those “families” who cared for and about him, the social workers, he’d become, stabilized, and, he’d become, very hardworking too.
“Principal, actually, in the facility, they’d NOT needed anything physical, but, what they’re lacking is a kind of understanding, and love.” The manager told me.
I recalled how the first time I’d told a story to them, about a friend, whose father was a murderer, and, his younger brother was angry because other people would laugh at them, he’d gotten into fights, and gotten addicted on drugs, and, later, the younger brother died, unfortunately, but my friend, he’d, worked very hard, wanted to make something of himself, “a different thought, a different life.”
As I was telling this tale, a child lowered his head. I could tell, that the story had an impact on him, and, as I’d posted my inquiries to the social worker, he does, have a similar background as the character in my story lived, and so, that kid wore that expression of anger on his face, broken a law, and was, sent to this facility, to wait for the courts to decide what they’re going to do with him. A few days before I arrived there to lecture, he’d gotten the notice, that he was, going to get transferred to a correctional facility, he was so angry, that he’d shattered all the glass panes of the facility with his own fists.
I sat in the office, listening to his story, I felt my heart wrench! He could originally be happy, going out in the mornings with his own father, he, to school, his father, to work, and, at night, returned home for supper together, but, the scripts that destiny had written for him, isn’t written that way. Other than feeling so much about the case, I saw him, walking close to my office, waved his hands at me, and the look was, gentle and milder from before, after he saw me waving back, he’d, walked away from my office slowly.
“He must thought that you knew him”, the head of the social workers told me.
Knowing, is enough to make a kid let her/his guards down, but, what’s known, is not what we known, but, how he’d felt, last week, a kid saw me, he’d started screaming out at me excitedly, “Mom, I’m growing a vegetable garden!”, he’d counted out the variety of vegetables in his garden, then, held me tight said, “I will, save your favorite corn for you”, and at that moment, he was like a son, hugging a mom, even though I’m really not his real mom, but, he was, enjoying the moment.
I’d shared all of these with the CEO, to let him know, that “the kids aren’t bad, that they were, merely, showing how unhappy they are, with the unfairness of destiny!”, they didn’t become drug addicts willingly or do bad things, it’s because of this lack of a warm home, without the love and guidance, and the messiness of the world had, led them astray.
“There are so many facets to the problem of illegal substance addiction, if you don’t start at the root of it, then, you’d be just, curing the symptoms, and not the illness itself, but, after he’d mentioned it, I’m certain, that someone is bound to pay attention to the issues as well”, after I’m done speaking, the CEO laughed and called me too optimistic, perhaps, but, I’m really, truly, hoping for it.
So, all that’s needed, to steer these teenagers onto the right paths in life is showing them a little care and concerns, that they’re NOT getting enough of at their own homes, and that, would be why these teenagers are joining gangs, because they lacked that sense of security from home, and, at school, the teachers are already, labeling them as trouble-makers, and that, is why, they’re turning to the only source of warmth they can find, with those peers in the gangs.
Life, the Obstacle Course 