Some young adults are living in the depths. Problems and addictions can cause them to feel like they have lost control of their lives. But I met someone yesterday who was living proof that through personal ambition, anyone can overcome the challenges that face them.
That someone was a fellow volunteer at the Open Door Mission. Together we served dinner to the some poor men and women downtown.
It all started during a conversation about school. He told me he got kicked out of high school when he was a sophomore; after noticing the large tattoo of a marijuana leaf on his forearm, I figured that he was quite the troublemaker and pot smoker as a teenager.
But I could tell that all of that changed. He had a certain humbled aura around him. During the opening prayer service, he listened intently to the preacher; even when the volunteers got up to start preparing the food, he kept on praying until the sermon was complete. He carried a small Bible by his side. He spoke to the homeless with genuine empathy and grace. He was volunteering to fulfill his court sentence, but signed up for additional hours because he felt his service gave him true spiritual strength.
Clearly, this 20 year-old man was experiencing a transformation. He is a different man now than he was six years ago.
Unless we are planning on getting kicked out of school and thrown in jail anytime soon, most of our problems are probably not as bad as his. Put his story in perspective. We can overcome anything with self-confidence and spiritual fortitude.
About Me
- Nick
- Rochester, NY, United States
- I am a junior in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. I love to write about almost anything -- sports, current issues, politics, etc. In the future I would like to pursue a career in business, journalism, or law.