On the first full day of summer, how about a slightly silly reminder that imitation is not only the surest flattery, it’s how most of us learn. In addition to conscious instruction, we absorb cues and messages from the environment and the people around us.
May yours be full of singing!
The story of Andrew Benson Greene, Dreams for Kids, Keisha Luce, Kirk Torregrossa and the children of Sierra Leone’s amputees continues to move forward and take some of us along for the ride. (see my last post for details.)
About a week ago, I posted an article with a crazy request…. a short, 48-hour window in which to raise the balance of the funds Andrew needs to attend a peace and conflict resolution program at Brandeis in the fall.
Here’s the update. A number of people responded quickly… and through their generosity we have a small scholarship fund at Dreams for Kids. We have raised enough to cover the deposit and the Student Visa fee.
What remains is the big ticket item — round trip airfare from Sierra Leone to Boston. I’ve started shopping around and have asked for help from an expert in the use of Frequent Flier miles. So, with a slightly longer deadline we are now working on a combination of “deals” on international airfare and some way we may be able to use reward miles. I’ll keep you updated here or on my Facebook page.
Their story captivates me. It is an extraordinary example of extracting the best from extreme human suffering…. of love, generosity and hard work overcoming enormous difficulty. It’s a “Four Foundations in action” story.
In the meanwhile, if you’d like to contribute to Andrew’s travel fund, please visit Dreams for Kids. To make sure that your donation is earmarked for this project, contributions should be made to the “general” fund and followed with an e-mail to shellyg@dreamsforkids.org
Andrew and the children of Sierra Leone amputees
Writing What Kids Need to Succeed marked a turning point in my professional life. Through a series of “coincidences” I had the opportunity to move from working full time with families torn apart by addiction and violence to… well…. families. All kinds of families.
After more than twenty-five years of the former I jumped at that opportunity.
Most of my writing these days tends to focus on encouraging parents to think about the long-term impact of their day-to-day decisions. And sharing resources to help provide their children with a solid framework to flourish as adults.
Too often those “worlds” collide. This post Are You Mothering a Mug Shot by my friend Shara Lawrence-Weiss is a powerful and poignant reminder about the very different directions that early experiences can take us. And a most beautiful statement about choosing to use pain as a pathway to growth.
What do you think about the power of love to overcome abuse? And can we reach out to the Promise Ring Givers before it’s too late?
