Wednesday, December 17, 2008
We asked our boys and girls to reflect on the many times in their lives that they have been “forced” to do things they didn’t want to do and, after they did them, they’re very glad that you made them do it. This is a lesson we all have to learn in life and we share them with you to encourage you and to inspire hope in our youth.
1. At age 14, I was sent to drug treatment, but as time passed I got tired of being clean and wanted to go back to drugs. So I faked it. Got out and after a month ended up running away and getting high. I was tired of the drug lifestyle, but still wanted it. Then I found out my grandmother was getting locked up because she and her friends were high and ran a car into a house. Then my mom came back in my life and she was starting to get clean. That’s when I decided what I wanted to do with my life. For the first time, I wanted to go back into treatment and this time really get on the right path. More and more every day, I was liking the sober life. I was happier than I had been in a long time. If I continue to take it day by day and go to meetings, I can stay on the road of recovery. Thank you.
--Maria, age 16 (Name changed)
2. My mother used to tell me to go to school. I never listened. She would call the police on me and make me go to school, but that still didn’t work. I ended up in jail. I didn’t want to follow their instructions, but I did. I learned to listen to what people had to say. I didn’t like it at first, but now I found out that it works really well. Every time I was in trouble, God found a way for me and I thank Him for that.
3. When I came to Boys Town, I weighed 339 lbs. They said I had to do summer weights, football camp, 44’s and a lot of running. It was not fun, but I liked the coaches because they said: “Pete’s got a lot of heart” and I guess that means I don’t give up easily. I put forth my energy…since May 12 I have lost over 100 lbs., to be exact 108 lbs. in six to seven months. I couldn’t believe it. You made me do it and I’m sure glad you did because now I am on the football team and I’m thinking of going into the Army.
--Pete, age 17 (Name changed)
4. They said that we all had to go out door to door for the Ollie Webb Center, a place for handicapped children, and sell Ollie Webb’s honey at $5 a bottle. It seemed not good at all. I didn’t want to do it, but our Family-Teachers made us do it. I had a negative attitude because I figured no one would buy the stuff. Most people hate it when kids come to their door. I was not willing to waste my time. I was wrong. I found out I liked it. I found out that people like it…when I got here, I heard I had to attend church one time a week. At home, I never attended church. They made me participate. I even had to write down sermon notes and guess what? I found out I liked it. What I learned was this. On the flip side of having a negative affect is having a positive attitude. When you have a positive attitude, things you don’t like go a lot faster and a lot better. So I can correct myself in the future.
--Collin
5. I am a Native American and come from the reservation. My mom told the people here that Julie is a good kid, but she has to learn right from wrong. Guess what? I began to realize that God sent me here to learn some lessons. God put me on this earth. I learned to do His deeds and His deeds are to help people. I had food all my life, but growing up on the res was not easy, for kids fight everyone and there is a lot of drinking. And yet I’m glad I came from the res and not the hood or some other place because I have a family who loves me. I am glad Boys Town helped me.
-- Julie (Name changed)
6. I was born an orphan and raised in an orphanage in Russia. I was lucky enough to come to America to a very loving, caring family but I didn’t realize that until I left them. I was always getting in trouble, sneaking out at night and doing drugs and drinking, everything I wasn’t supposed to do. But that wasn’t the worse part. I was disrespectful to my family. I have had anger management problems and would always hate to admit it. Boys Town made me admit it and I’m glad they did. I sometimes say I don’t like Boys Town just to look cool. But everybody does that. It does help people and it surely helped me.
--Name withheld
7. My dad walked out on my mom when she was pregnant with me. He wanted me to go away and my mom to have an abortion. She did not want it. I didn’t do well by my mom and ended up in treatment facilities. I felt like God was ignoring me. I even felt like God had spit in my eye. To make a long story short, I came to Boys Town and I started to like it. One of the main things Boys Town has taught me is that God helps us on His time, not ours.
--Boy, age 17 (Name withheld)
8. One thing I didn’t want to do, but did anyway was straighten out my life. Everyday I would get in trouble and start talking C…to random people. I was locked up four times. I stole lots of drugs. A friend wanted to steal a car that had keys in it. I got scared and ended up not taking the car. That was a good decision. I’m glad I didn’t do it. I ended up in jail for other things. And at Boys Town, I am straightening up my life. I can act like myself now instead of acting tough. People like me more when I act like myself instead of someone I am not. I am not perfect, but I am better and I’m glad I am. I always think back on my old days and I am super glad for getting better.
--Gina, age 17
1. At age 14, I was sent to drug treatment, but as time passed I got tired of being clean and wanted to go back to drugs. So I faked it. Got out and after a month ended up running away and getting high. I was tired of the drug lifestyle, but still wanted it. Then I found out my grandmother was getting locked up because she and her friends were high and ran a car into a house. Then my mom came back in my life and she was starting to get clean. That’s when I decided what I wanted to do with my life. For the first time, I wanted to go back into treatment and this time really get on the right path. More and more every day, I was liking the sober life. I was happier than I had been in a long time. If I continue to take it day by day and go to meetings, I can stay on the road of recovery. Thank you.
--Maria, age 16 (Name changed)
2. My mother used to tell me to go to school. I never listened. She would call the police on me and make me go to school, but that still didn’t work. I ended up in jail. I didn’t want to follow their instructions, but I did. I learned to listen to what people had to say. I didn’t like it at first, but now I found out that it works really well. Every time I was in trouble, God found a way for me and I thank Him for that.
3. When I came to Boys Town, I weighed 339 lbs. They said I had to do summer weights, football camp, 44’s and a lot of running. It was not fun, but I liked the coaches because they said: “Pete’s got a lot of heart” and I guess that means I don’t give up easily. I put forth my energy…since May 12 I have lost over 100 lbs., to be exact 108 lbs. in six to seven months. I couldn’t believe it. You made me do it and I’m sure glad you did because now I am on the football team and I’m thinking of going into the Army.
--Pete, age 17 (Name changed)
4. They said that we all had to go out door to door for the Ollie Webb Center, a place for handicapped children, and sell Ollie Webb’s honey at $5 a bottle. It seemed not good at all. I didn’t want to do it, but our Family-Teachers made us do it. I had a negative attitude because I figured no one would buy the stuff. Most people hate it when kids come to their door. I was not willing to waste my time. I was wrong. I found out I liked it. I found out that people like it…when I got here, I heard I had to attend church one time a week. At home, I never attended church. They made me participate. I even had to write down sermon notes and guess what? I found out I liked it. What I learned was this. On the flip side of having a negative affect is having a positive attitude. When you have a positive attitude, things you don’t like go a lot faster and a lot better. So I can correct myself in the future.
--Collin
5. I am a Native American and come from the reservation. My mom told the people here that Julie is a good kid, but she has to learn right from wrong. Guess what? I began to realize that God sent me here to learn some lessons. God put me on this earth. I learned to do His deeds and His deeds are to help people. I had food all my life, but growing up on the res was not easy, for kids fight everyone and there is a lot of drinking. And yet I’m glad I came from the res and not the hood or some other place because I have a family who loves me. I am glad Boys Town helped me.
-- Julie (Name changed)
6. I was born an orphan and raised in an orphanage in Russia. I was lucky enough to come to America to a very loving, caring family but I didn’t realize that until I left them. I was always getting in trouble, sneaking out at night and doing drugs and drinking, everything I wasn’t supposed to do. But that wasn’t the worse part. I was disrespectful to my family. I have had anger management problems and would always hate to admit it. Boys Town made me admit it and I’m glad they did. I sometimes say I don’t like Boys Town just to look cool. But everybody does that. It does help people and it surely helped me.
--Name withheld
7. My dad walked out on my mom when she was pregnant with me. He wanted me to go away and my mom to have an abortion. She did not want it. I didn’t do well by my mom and ended up in treatment facilities. I felt like God was ignoring me. I even felt like God had spit in my eye. To make a long story short, I came to Boys Town and I started to like it. One of the main things Boys Town has taught me is that God helps us on His time, not ours.
--Boy, age 17 (Name withheld)
8. One thing I didn’t want to do, but did anyway was straighten out my life. Everyday I would get in trouble and start talking C…to random people. I was locked up four times. I stole lots of drugs. A friend wanted to steal a car that had keys in it. I got scared and ended up not taking the car. That was a good decision. I’m glad I didn’t do it. I ended up in jail for other things. And at Boys Town, I am straightening up my life. I can act like myself now instead of acting tough. People like me more when I act like myself instead of someone I am not. I am not perfect, but I am better and I’m glad I am. I always think back on my old days and I am super glad for getting better.
--Gina, age 17
posted by Fr. Peter | 4:38 PM
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