Monthly Letter

“INCREDIBLE HUMAN BEINGS”

Dear Hopefulls,
This month I would like to share with you the story that J. C. Dollar wrote for the January issue of the MERIL Messenger newsletter. Here it is:

There would not be such an issue with inclusion if we all were to practice two things. The first practice is to discover and focus on the incredible human being in others. Yes,  this means family members, neighbors, and even those who have wronged us.

I once met a young teenager that had been victimized by bullies for years. She was burned when she was a toddler in an accidental fire leaving many severe scars. These scars made “Susan” an easy target of the neighborhood and school bullies. She had few friends and was rarely “included.” After one Christmas break in junior high school, she returned a different person. Different in that she had a smile on her face so broad that it was not the scars that one saw but the beautiful smile. There was something else different as well – the way she defused and deflected the name calling, negative comments, foul language and even the spitting. “Susan” took the offense rather than defense. Susan preempted the bullies.

Susan often speaks today of this turnaround in her life. It was simple she says. “For Christmas my Grandmother gave me the most incredible gift anyone has ever given me. She gave me ‘me.’” Susan went on to say that within the gift wrapped box from her Grandmother was a piece of paper that simply said, “You.” Her Grandmother went on to tell Susan what a wonderful person she is and how she should never let anyone take the goodness in her away.

When Susan returned from her holiday break, she began searching for the positives in everyone. She didn’t stop with her discoveries. Susan told everyone about the positives she saw in them . . . and she did it with a big smile. Susan’s smile became contagious.

Susan transformed herself from an 8th grader with a “C” average who had no friends to the Most Popular and the Friendliest, as elected on graduation day by her fellow senior classmates. The coveted “Most Likely to Succeed” award nearly always went to a person with very high grades but not this night. This night it also went to Susan who still only had a “C” average. The rule at the school had been that a person could only receive one award. This year they made an exception because Susan was the runaway choice by her peers and the faculty. They recognized that with her attitude, her positive belief in others, and her wonderful smile; Susan was destined to succeed in life. She was included and she included others in so many dynamic ways.

The second important practice is probably rather obvious by now. Susan was far from average. Her classmates, friends and family came to know that and to believe in her. She had become a role model. While Susan’s peers continued with low self-esteem issues, it became obvious to others that Susan had discovered the second important practice. Susan had discovered the incredible human being in herself.

How about you? Have you discovered the incredible human being in yourself? Once you do there will be no stopping you. You will begin to help others to see and believe in the incredible human being in themselves. When both of these practices are in place and become a way of life, inclusion becomes a non-issue.

In this month when we celebrate love, may we discover the incredible human being in ourselves and then discover the incredible human being in others and thereby help enliven God’s love in the world.

Happy St. Valentine’s Day!

Godspeed and love,

John Middleton