Can We Show Some Love?

Recently I was going through some old papers in my ongoing quest of “what can I get rid of next” and came across an old lesson that was part of a course I took several years ago. When I was re-reading it I couldn’t help but think of the ongoing efforts of our friends in Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Nain in Labrador, and many other places around the world, those who work for seniors, orphans and anyone else who need to see love. I hope the lesson writer and Eric Butterworth won’t mind me sharing this excerpt as it’s too good to put in the recycle bin.

“Eric Butterworth in an article in Chicken Soup for the Soul told this story.

A college professor had his sociology class go into the Baltimore slums and interview 200 boys. The students were to evaluate each boy’s future. After hearing their stories the students concluded for each boy, ‘He doesn’t have a chance.’

Twenty-five years later another sociology professor came across the earlier study and had his students do a follow up. Of the 200 boys, who were now men, 20 had died or moved away. Of the 180 that remained 176 of them had achieved unusual success as doctors, lawyers, businessmen, or other professionals. When asked what influenced them each man said, ‘There was a teacher…’

The teacher, now quite elderly, was located and asked how she pulled these men out of the slums and made them successful. Her answer was simply, ‘I loved those boys!’”

It doesn’t always take a lot of money to help the disadvantaged in our world. When I read the blogs and the newsletters of organizations like Act of Kindness, Loads of Love, Possibilities International, I AM 1 R U, and so on, and see the dramatic results of how lives are changed, I wonder how many doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, or other professionals are being created through those who dare to love in situations when everything seems hopeless.

Happy Thanksgiving! Я тебя люблю! (Yellow blu vas!)