taught over the years, how now my only involvement in their lives is
to give over to the light, my fear and worry for their safety and well
being.
I can't help but ask "What More could I have done?"
I have one student in particular, we'll call him Keith.
Keith found the direct route to my soul. He came into my class nearly
half way through the year. He moved to Far Rockaway directly from
Puerto Rico. His Mom, Sister and He escaped the violence of his father
and fled to the states to live with their uncle.
Keith picked up immediately. He is charismatic, sensitive and
incredibly intelligent. He begged me to teach him all that he had
missed in the previous 5 months. So I did.
He excelled so much that I selected him to come to Wales for an
international summer camp with over 200 kids from around the world.
The summer camp changed his life. He could not stop talking about it
for years to come and begged me every year if he could go to the next.
Fortunately enough, that was the last summer camp we ever had, and I
am thankful he had that experience.
What was going on in his home life, was well masked by his humor and smile.
I learned from school officials that his Mom had lost her job and they
had no choice but to relocate to a shelter in Manhattan.
I called his Mom to confirm what I had heard. It was all true. The
hospital she was working in as a receptionist had fired her for
"mental instability".
I asked her how that could be and she told me the horror, that her
brother had started smoking crack and was being abusive to her
children. They all shared one bedroom together in his apartment and
now he was kicking them out.
For the rest of the semester I kept Keith in my after school program
and drove him back to the shelter in the city afterwards. He continued
to beam with gratitude and appreciation for everything he had. He
held a lot of resentment toward his father and all the male role
models who he turned to. Except me, he said. I was "a little bit like
a brother, but I would rather have you for a father" he told me.
Several weeks after that, his mom had to relocate him to a school in
Manhattan to be closer to their shelter. She called regularly to check
in, but always when I called back the number was disconnected or
unavailable.
I think of Keith regularly and always wonder, how I could have done
more. I pray that his intelligence and street smarts have kept him out
of gangs and that his care for his Mom and Sister are enough to feed
his "be a man" machismo in a healthy way.
Keith is but one of hundreds of these stories. Many far, far, far,
more painful to hear.
I thank them all for making me a man. Pushing me to face the truth,
that I am not the center of the universe, but inspiring me to be an
important star in their's.
If you want to learn more about the work I do with Success For Kids or
to make a donation go to sfk.org.
Sent from my iPhone
___________________________
Just Moments later...
After I wrote the above, I went to a lecture and meditation at the Kabbalah Center. Last summer I had the opportunity to teach a family class there for members of the community. Each week, I get to see a lot of the same students that I taught in that class. Several of the girls ALWAYS make us Art projects and we come home and decorate our fridge with their creations and absolutely adore each of them. This week, Miriam's gift to me was quite profound. She made the piece below which features a picture of me surrounded by stars and a Kiwi fruit holding up the 72 Name of God for Certainty. Quite chillingly, I should tell you that the nickname of the boy above is "Kiwi".
The 72 Names of God, aren't "Names" per say. They are a combination of letters that are contained within the story of the splitting of the red sea in the book of Exodus from the bible. While all of them are powerful in their unique way, Certainty is the tool we need above everything. Certainty is not knowing that "Things are going to happen the way I want them to happen". Certainty is having nothing short of complete trust in the creator and the perfection of the universe. Certainty is knowing that everything is in the creators hands and what you are experiencing, or going through, is just what your soul needs to go to it's next level.
I guess the angels sent me this message by way a very special messenger because I need to be reminded that all of these Children are in the creator's hands, with the tools I have been given to share with them, my job is to let go know, without any shadow of a doubt, they are taken care of.
Not an easy task, but thanks to Miriam, I am reminded 'Trust the Light; Kiwi will be fine".
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