Index: Feature Article: Hopes and Dreams, Remembering Littleton
HOPES & DREAMS, REMEMBERING LITTLETON*
Dated 5/ 1/99
As we are inundated with the sad news of these human tragedies, I feel it is appropriate to remember those who's lives have been lost or changed forever by this event. Even those of us who are not directly affected feel some pain and fear from the implications connected with what this occurrence says about the state of humanity and societies existing in this time.
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HOPES:
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The main questions about Littleton have remained the same since the beginning, WHY and WHO IS TO BLAME? As they continue to go unanswered, I can only think of a well known African proverb .... “It takes a whole village to raise one child.” This has made me realize that in whatever community I live in, I too have a responsibility to every child there. As an adult, it is up to me to reach out however I can and find the needs I have the time and talent to address. According to this proverb, even the children in the village have a responsibility to each other.
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There are a million what ifs that might have made a difference in these young lives. Its too late for them, but we owe it to every other child and those to come, not to fail them as parents, friends and neighbors. Children with problems often don't reach out for help and sometimes believe they don't want or need it. It is up to us to take the interest and look for the signs. I just HOPE I might encourage you to join me in taking some responsibility for OUR children, for it would be the only thing GOOD that could out of this sad situation.
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I won't go over all the things which one might do, I am sure you can come up with your own list that's right for you and your circumstances. (I am opening suggestions for these things as a topic of discussion in the forum, please ~wanda/forum.html"click here if you would like to visit the forum and share some ideas about things you do to make a difference.) From my past experiences of working with troubled teens, I found that children who see themselves as an outcast and who carry anger to cover their pain, often respond very well to someone just taking the time to listen. For those who have little ability or desire to talk about their problems, there are other creative ways they may express themselves. Writing, art, music, acting & poetry are wonderful outlets.
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I will never forget the most troubled and troublesome boy in a class I once taught. Exasperated at his antics and unresponsiveness to discipline, I finally decided to take some extra time with him. I discovered he had a budding talent for art and requested that he make me some drawings. Every week he would appear with something new. At first the drawings were of disturbing visions, but I didn't criticize him and instead talked to him about how interesting they were and the specific quality of talent each one had taken to create. Many of his problems came to light in this manner. I couldn't solve them, but I could listen with concern and offer a little advice from time to time.
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Once he had realized that I cared and wasn't going to criticize him, I started asking him to draw specific subjects for me, (more positive ideas) and his abilities became guided in those directions. It wasn't long until he was drawing positive images on his own and I was amazed to watch as his attitude steadily changed. I began giving him more responsibilities in the class and soon his self esteem had grown until he eventually became a respected leader. When I ran into him some years later, I was greeted with gratitude as he had found a positive way to continue to use his talents in life. His business as a young man was painting cars, something that grew from his love of the artistic expression. His recognition of my help and knowing he was a happier person because of it was a tremendous reward to me for something that had really taken so little of my time.
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I think, what it boils down to is this: JUST TAKE THE TIME TO CARE and to LOVE EVEN THOSE WHO AREN'T QUITE SO LOVABLE. My friend, Johnny Orr, from Hawaii wrote a song titled “LOVE HEALS IF YOU LET IT,” it's so true and we all need to start healing from this great loss.
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DREAMS:
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There has been much information about the existence and effects of the collective unconscious, that is: The sum total of thoughts past and present about our present and future reality. We all know there are many negative thinkers, those who believe things are bad and only going to get worse. In response to this occurrence, I feel compelled to spend some time each day, visualizing and believing in faith that more peace, prosperity, compassion, love and good will are the trends of the future. I don't spend much time thinking in specifics, like how, when or what etc. ..... (those things have a way of manifesting as a result of belief) but instead, I find the feeling of those conditions existence and project it out into the world.
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Some might call this prayer, others perhaps meditation, what ever you would call it, I ask you to join me for just a few minutes a day with this DREAM for a better future and help turn the tide of collective unconsciousness in these directions. Also, try to take note of your negative thoughts throughout the day and when you realize you've had one, think one opposite positive thought to cancel it out and another to out weigh it. This also works for self-improvement in the area of attitude adjustment and after all, you have nothing to loose and the possibility of a better world to gain.
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LET'S DREAM BIG AND WORK HARD TO MAKE THINGS BETTER FOR US ALL, lest this tragedy stand without reason.
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