One day several years ago as I was crossing the street in downtown Cleveland, I noticed two young people wrestling in the lobby of a building near my office. As I advanced towards the building, I realized that the two young people consisted of a boy and a girl and they were not wrestling. The young boy, who I later found out was fourteen at the time, was throwing the young lady around and groping her all the while. The young lady was also fourteen at the time. I was a bit concerned when I realized how much they were enjoying this youthful pseudo-sexual romp in public. Her clothes were in disarray and her suitor seemed more and more aggressive as I approached them.
I walked in and not surprisingly, they were so engaged in their playfulness, they did not realize that an adult was now in the lobby with them. As I assessed the surroundings I noticed that they were also unaware that they were on camera the whole time.
I cleared my throat and got their attention. The young lady looked as if she had been caught doing something she shouldn't have. The young man looked proud of himself at first and then he looked annoyed.
I spent the next few minutes speaking to both of them. The young man walked out of the lobby but the young lady remained. She was waiting on her aunt to get off of work. I spoke to the young lady a little longer about her ideas regarding self worth and expectation.
She hugged me when I left.
I saw that young lady today as I was coming to work. She gave me a hug before I remembered who she was. She has graduated from highschool and is starting college in the fall.
She told me that she remembered my discussion with her and that she appreciated what I did. I was not so naive to believe that one discussion with me would change her life, but I do believe that as we encounter people we can add water and sunlight to seeds of hope that live in all of us. I believe the passion and sincerity that I demonstrated towards her was more effective than the words I selected.
Adults, If you notice that the children in your village need your wisdom or guidance, don't turn a blind eye. You never know how much you can assist in shaping someone's course. More importantly...it is your village duty.
Peace © 2005 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2 comments:
I used to feel the way that you feel, but the last time I tried to intervene when a kid was acting up, the mother wanted to physically harm me. I agree with what you are saying, but it's hard to do that in today's society.
The prophets and ancient wise people were often maligned by some people if not the masses. And often all of those whom we hold dear in our recent history, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Mary McLeod-Bethune, Marva Collins, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X etc. faced opposition from their own people (tribe) not to mention from others. We have to use tact, diplomacy and wisdom but we must have the courage to either change a wrong with our hand, with our speech or at bare minimum detest it in our heart. To detest it in our heart means that if we could physically change it, we would. There should be a look on our face that indicates where this act stands with us. We must reclaim our tribe as no one else will. How did Harriet Tubman feel when they had a price on her head and she was running through the wilderness with little or no protection besides her belief that God was with her and what she doing was right? When we change our thoughts our actions will soon follow. When we believe we can achieve, we will achieve. And this requires one to have a connection with the Creator. As the Creator will show us how, when, where, why, what and with whom. Find the resolve that allowed Moses to oppose Pharoah. Find that resolve that allowed David to go up against Goliath. That resolve is built into us, we only need to find it and unleash it with permission of God
Sincerely,
The Ghetto Nomad
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