Something Different

I thought I’d share something positive from work.
I know. Weird, right?
(What? Did you think I was oblivious to the fact that I’m typically a Debbie Downer? ;o)

Anyway, a lot of my kids have learned to crochet since being admitted to the cottage. The program therapist teaches them how to, and because they’re so limited in activities they can participate in, they usually pick it up pretty quickly.

Well, the program therapist decided it would be a good idea to have them crochet blankets to donate to a nursing home. About seven of our kids did a wonderful job crocheting thirteen blankets. We took the kids to a nursing home and allowed them to give their gifts in person, individually.

It was actually a very beautiful thing.

Many of these kids have done terrible, cruel things and show little regard for other people. But at the sight of an elderly person breaking down into tears because a stranger decided to hand them a blanket, something inside some of these kids clicked, almost as though their hearts just began beating for the first time.

After returning to the cottage, they wrote reflections on the experience. Here are some of my favorite blurbs. Enjoy!

• “It really felt good to help others and it makes me want to go on missions and help more people.” “I want to actually do something good with my life and time.”

• “I feel happy because I made someone else happy.” “Out of all this, I learned that you don’t have to do everything for just friends and family. You can do things for people you do not even know and when doing things like this for other people it can make you feel really good inside.”

• “Seeing the look on that old woman’s face took all the sad feelings away and made me warm inside. One of them said to me, “How much do you charge?” and I thought to myself, “Seeing you smile is payment enough.” I learned a valuable lesson.”

• “This has helped my self-esteem because I learned I really can care about other people.”

What a breath of fresh air!

God is awesome.