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The Little Things You Do

I was on FB checking on some stuff (yes, my FB account is still dead but I have a shell account for school groups) when I came across my ex-student's fb.  Let's call him Max.

Way back when, Max was a brooding young man with too much pain for someone so young.  There was so much loss, rejection and anger filling up his heart and mind.  When my eyes rested upon him, my heart hurt for I saw wounds I couldn't put a bandage over.  Sometimes I wished I could just take him home and get him to smile.  But of course, I couldn't do that.  My house would be overflowing if I gave in to every urge to take a kid home.  But that was a long time ago.  Max was fortunate because an angel smiled on him and he was given an opportunity to join a training program which took him away from painful home and prepared him for a well-paying job with an MNC.  There was a time when his FB account showed statuses that spoke of wanting to give up and go home.  I prayed that he wouldn't.

Fast forward to today... and yes, he finished his program.  Yes he is now working at the MNC and doing well.  And he JUST got married :D

How I wish for all my students to have happy endings like Max's.  I know I know... his life isn't ended yet and he still has a looong way to go.  But at least he has a solid platform under his feet.  At least when he has children, he can offer them a better life than the one he had. 

The little things teachers and parents do can make a difference in a young person's life... even if it is just a sharing of information of opportunities... or an encouraging push towards a program.  Not all the young people will respond positively... but at least they know of options.

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