It takes a village came to life twice during the last several days--once in a life memorialized, and once trying to enter the cell of understanding regarding prison life. The lifelong friend memorialized counselled many high school students regarding their life pursuits. He wrote many letters of recommendation. His relationships continued many years following his counsel. My life was changed with his counsel. He was not the only agent of change. Yet, he understood the role he could play, if he chose to invest his energies--dedicate himself to the individuals who crossed his path.
It takes a village.
The future of one individual in prison is a question I feel compelled to pursue. Why? How?
Answers to those questions are found by exploring other questions. Answers to these questions may explain why others--others who seem to me to be suited to help--are not responding to the call. Or so I pray.
I was not burned. I did not feel equipped to respond directly. I offered my ideas, thoughts, and insights to a loved one, who volunteered to serve on the front line. Now, I feel equipped to answer the call to the front lines. I bring different resources. I offer different gifts. I have a different relationship. Is it possible that being burned--being hurt--while on the front lines leads to her lack of recall.
Expectations. What are our hopes? Are conditions of achievement attached to active response.
Results. If our hopes for our help are not met, does that mean our offerings of help are worthless? Worse yet, should we never have offered our help?
Memories of our own beginnings. How were we helped in our own beginnings? Who spoke up on our behalf? Who answered our calls for help?
What do our lives allow us--enable us--to offer? What is our rate of interest? What capital investment of our lives are we willing to make? What resources do our lives allow us to offer--monetary, material, or personal?
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