Catching up...

I read an article on MSN today about Feral Children. It got me thinking:

http://health.msn.com/kids-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100234082&gt1=31045

The program that I work for serves college students from underprivileged and disadvantaged backgrounds. My typical day is spent helping my students juggle the demands of life that constantly threaten to overwhelm them. Although they often come to me in order to deal with academic shortfalls, we also work on things like social, emotional, and financial issues as well. Regardless of who walks through the door, I learn something new about people every single day. The interesting part is, I never cease to be amazed. I honestly believe that is the part of this job that keeps me coming back.

One of my current students is a sweet, outgoing girl that also serves as a student leader on campus. Although I knew that she struggled academically at times, I never imagined what was behind it. When her tutor raised questions about her lack of writing skills, I sat down with her to discuss some options for getting additional help. Even though I expected some sort of an explanation, I never imagined the story I would get.

Her story in its entirety is very strange and complicated. The basics include the fact that she was adopted at age three due to significant neglect. When social services found her, she had none of the skills you would expect from a healthy toddler. I can’t even begin to explain the depth to which her mental, social, and emotional skills were stunted. She had to learn everything from speaking, to walking and eating with utensils. With such a late start in her development, she missed many of the major milestones the human brain needs in order to develop higher processing.

Listening to her story, it was like nothing I could have ever imagined. How could a child with so few resources come so far? Even though her academic skills lag behind, she is an amazing person that works really hard to have a positive attitude and constantly improve. On top of that, she also makes an effort to include everyone, she is eternally optimistic, and she has a real love in caring for elderly people. In this case I’m left wondering… how does such a wonderful person emerge from such a dismal beginning? I know there are a million complicated factors involved, but in many ways, it gives me a lot of hope. It reminds me that we all have the power to drive our own direction, no matter where our journey starts. In a world that seems endlessly full of negligence and heartache… things can improve. If we surround ourselves with good things, positive people and healthy relationships, even the darkest past can be overcome.