Relationships

As some of you may know, I have been volunteering as a mentor for an organization called Colorado Youth at Risk since last August. My mentee Juli has just graduated high school (yeah!), and we were invited to a graduation celebration for all the CYAR graduates. Juli and I both started our journey with CYAR in August, and we have built up a wonderful friendship. I am so glad that I have Juli in my life, and I am sure that we will remain friends long into the future.

Most of the youth that were at the celebration have been involved in the program for all four years of high school. These kids were so amazing! They got up in front of the whole room and spoke from the heart about how much the people in the program meant to them. One young lady talked about when she got pregnant she was told that there was no more hope for her, that she wouldn't be able to finish high school, let alone go to college. She tearfully and emotionally thanked everyone in the room for the ongoing support and encouragement that they had given her. She has already completed one semester at Metro State College and was confident that she will be able to make it. She said "Everyone here has helped me to become the person that I am, the Mother that I am".

Another young man got up and said that he didn't think anyone understood how much he loves them, and that he wouldn't be graduating if it weren't for the people in that room.

A father spoke haltingly with emotion of how he had given up on his daughter receiving her high school diploma, and he thanked everyone who impacted her life and helped her get through and succeed. I, of course, was in tears for most of the speeches. I was awed and humbled by the obvious bond that these kids had made with their peers and their mentors.

In the past few weeks, I have been to two graduation ceremonies, my son's and Juli's. I reflected on all the advice and wisdom that was imparted by the speakers at each ceremony. They talked about determination, resilience, and fortitude. They talked about riding out the storm and enduring the rough times so that they would enjoy the calm, happy times. But the one thing that they left out was advice on relationships and emotional ties. I think that success should be redefined. That no matter what your job, how much money you make or what kind of car you drive, what matters to the soul is the relationships that you have with your family, your friends, yourself, and with God. These kids are bound to be successful in their futures, because they have learned how to have real, powerful relationships with each other. They learned how to help and support each other, and how to ask for help when you need it most. I believe that these are the keys to true success.

Our friend Kelly didn't go to college after graduation, didn't have a great career or many other things. But, I think that she was one of the most successful people I have ever met. She was so open to everyone, able to talk to people that she had never met. She was kind and considerate of others. But most of all, she was powerfully related to God and her family. They have the kind of bond that lasts through eternity. Now that's what I call successful!

I am inspired! I have signed up for another year of mentoring and pray that I will be able to give and receive from yet another wonderful youth and that I will continue to learn as much as I can.