Every once in a while you hear of someone and you wish that their life was fictional. Your mind does a double take and questions if this person is really living this horrific reality. You want to question if what you are hearing is true but something tells you there is no room for speculation. The adversity is real. For the story I want to tell tonight, is a story that I never heard. I saw it firsthand.
I saw Derek, a six year old boy that had nothing to live for but at his age he didn’t understand. He had a mental disability that made him different than most of the other kids. He struggled in school, trying to learn English and forget Spanish.
I saw his grandmother, Juana, who was struggling to stay afloat as a seamstress. She loved Derek more than anything, and did what she could help him. Because she was an illegal immigrant, she couldn’t do much.
I saw the house where Derek and his grandmother lived. It was a small place buried in the middle of the Hispanic community. There were two bed rooms. One was for Juana and Derek and the other one was for a lady named Ana Maria who rented the room for her and her 3 sons. The garage served as a working space for Juana and the living room also had a bed for Derek’s father for when he returned home.
I saw Derek’s father the day he came home from jail. Why he was there I was never sure, but it had something to do with substance abuse. It’s my guess that is why Derek’s mother had left him.
I saw Derek’s mother, living on the other side of town with a different man, starting a new family. She blamed Derek’s father for his disability and inability to learn. She said it was the drugs. I want to say that she was better off with her new life but she could never escape her past.
I saw the pictures of Derek’s two older brothers who I never met because they were both in juvenile detention centers for gang violence and drug possession. One was 16 and the other 14. I don’t know if Derek knew where they were or what they had done but he missed them.
A year later, I saw a framed picture of his oldest brother that was put up in commemoration of his death. A few days after getting released for the detention center Derek’s brother was killed in a car accident. His friend, who was driving the car, was intoxicated. Once again, I’m not sure if Derek knew what exactly happened to his brother. All he knew was that he missed him.
I saw the look on Derek’s face the day his father lost it. His dad sat there with a bottle of wine in his hand and tears in his eyes, trying to fight the urge to drink. I remember trying to calm his dad down but the more I said the louder and more frustrated he became. Derek had seen his father overcome with emotion before but not like this.
It would be an understatement to say that Derek has emotional scars. Some run deeper than others but each has its mark. I used to wonder if he would ever heal but something told me that he already was.
They say that the body of child is very resilient. They can recover from surgery and broken bones a lot faster than an adult. I’m sure that also goes for the heart of a child.
Ever though there are so many unanswered questions in his life, I think the fact that Derek doesn’t know everything gives him a fighting chance. Instead seeing the tragedy that everyone else does, he might be able to see something different.
He has hope. I might not see it, but it’s there.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Judge with a Righteous Judgment
If there is anything in this world that really irks me it is ignorance. I don’t want to be like every other self absorbed person and give my two cents about politics but I feel it is necessary that I make my point. With the election I found out that there are many uneducated people out there that formulate their opinions based on youtube videos and feel like they are suddenly the oracle of living knowledge. It is even more disappointing when the uninformed discriminate based on political party.
While in New Jersey, I was dubbed by a few Democrats as a nuclear missile hugging, affirmative action hating, cold hearted conservative. All of this was due to the fact that I didn’t agree with socialized medicine and of course that meant I was a serious right winger that agreed with the previously mentioned polices. I found it fairly humorous that people could judge so harshly and take it so personally while knowing so little about my actual beliefs. While it was brutal at times, it taught me an important lesson. Don’t pass judgment on a person or a situation you know very little about. I just wish that those Democrats that labeled me could apply this principle, but recently certain ignoramus Republicans are more deserving of a slap on the wrist. I am sick hearing them label all Democrats as tree huggers, weed smokers and atheists. I have to admit that at one point in time I did have these same feelings towards all Democrats. I was 13.
Please note that I am not saying that all Republicans are like this but there are those that set a less than stellar example. It’s people like that who made me question my loyalty to the GOP and political parties in general. We are all free to develop our own ideas and we shouldn’t have to confine ourselves one of two confining options.
It has been very sad to see many of my liberal and moderate friends being wrongfully accused as radical and brainless. Seeing someone wearing a Barack Obama t-shirt doesn’t mean you know everything about this person’s political ideology. For all you know they could have lost a bet or just liked the color of the shirt. So please, before you make a judgment call about what you think they might think, ask them what they really do think.
Just because people have different views does not give you free reign to fabricate stories or so called “facts” about the opposing perspective. It works like this. I am a big sports fan and I love baseball. I don’t think my love for baseball, however, can eclipse the hatred that I have for the New York Yankees. Now just because I hate them does not change the fact that they are one of the storied baseball teams of all time. I have to face the facts, as hard as that might be.
Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to politics. Why can’t we just listen to what other people have to say and respect their opinion regardless of the situation? If you happen to run across someone that has does not have your exact political philosophy, you might want to listen up. You could learn something. Also, if you are uniformed please do not follow the “fake it till you make it” principle. Rather, stick to the “think before you speak” policy.
Just a quick shout out to all of those who said they are moving to Canada as soon as Obama becomes president. You are ridiculous. You remind me of those stupid kids back in 2004 who said they would flee north of the border to avoid the supposed draft that Bush was going to implement. I don’t agree with all of Obama policies but I like to think that I am somewhat mature and I can deal with the fact that I won’t always get my way. Let’s please grow up.
Speaking of growing up, all of those out in California that are fighting singly against the Mormon Church need to get their facts straight. If you disagree with us that is one thing, but don't claim to be fighting for equal rights when you are acting like a bigots. If you are going to hash things out politically, do it respectfully.
Well that was quite the rant. Thank you for enduring. Just remember kids if you want respect, you have to respect others. Didn't we learn that in kindergarten? Honestly....
While in New Jersey, I was dubbed by a few Democrats as a nuclear missile hugging, affirmative action hating, cold hearted conservative. All of this was due to the fact that I didn’t agree with socialized medicine and of course that meant I was a serious right winger that agreed with the previously mentioned polices. I found it fairly humorous that people could judge so harshly and take it so personally while knowing so little about my actual beliefs. While it was brutal at times, it taught me an important lesson. Don’t pass judgment on a person or a situation you know very little about. I just wish that those Democrats that labeled me could apply this principle, but recently certain ignoramus Republicans are more deserving of a slap on the wrist. I am sick hearing them label all Democrats as tree huggers, weed smokers and atheists. I have to admit that at one point in time I did have these same feelings towards all Democrats. I was 13.
Please note that I am not saying that all Republicans are like this but there are those that set a less than stellar example. It’s people like that who made me question my loyalty to the GOP and political parties in general. We are all free to develop our own ideas and we shouldn’t have to confine ourselves one of two confining options.
It has been very sad to see many of my liberal and moderate friends being wrongfully accused as radical and brainless. Seeing someone wearing a Barack Obama t-shirt doesn’t mean you know everything about this person’s political ideology. For all you know they could have lost a bet or just liked the color of the shirt. So please, before you make a judgment call about what you think they might think, ask them what they really do think.
Just because people have different views does not give you free reign to fabricate stories or so called “facts” about the opposing perspective. It works like this. I am a big sports fan and I love baseball. I don’t think my love for baseball, however, can eclipse the hatred that I have for the New York Yankees. Now just because I hate them does not change the fact that they are one of the storied baseball teams of all time. I have to face the facts, as hard as that might be.
Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to politics. Why can’t we just listen to what other people have to say and respect their opinion regardless of the situation? If you happen to run across someone that has does not have your exact political philosophy, you might want to listen up. You could learn something. Also, if you are uniformed please do not follow the “fake it till you make it” principle. Rather, stick to the “think before you speak” policy.
Just a quick shout out to all of those who said they are moving to Canada as soon as Obama becomes president. You are ridiculous. You remind me of those stupid kids back in 2004 who said they would flee north of the border to avoid the supposed draft that Bush was going to implement. I don’t agree with all of Obama policies but I like to think that I am somewhat mature and I can deal with the fact that I won’t always get my way. Let’s please grow up.
Speaking of growing up, all of those out in California that are fighting singly against the Mormon Church need to get their facts straight. If you disagree with us that is one thing, but don't claim to be fighting for equal rights when you are acting like a bigots. If you are going to hash things out politically, do it respectfully.
Well that was quite the rant. Thank you for enduring. Just remember kids if you want respect, you have to respect others. Didn't we learn that in kindergarten? Honestly....
Saturday, November 8, 2008
The Importance of Being Important
It would seem strange that in my very first post I would openly admit the regret I feel for becoming an official blogger. You see, from my perspective the people who blog are those who feel that their life or opinion is so valued that everyone in the world can have access to it. I think I can produce a relevant though every once in a blue moon but Jake Welch the blogger? Honestly, what do I have to say about life that could be worth while. I really do not feel like I am important enough to be the blogging type, but maybe someone will be inspired by my words. So come one, come all to hear the words of old man Welch.
Just a quick note to all of the educated out there. I have been known to be less than proficient with my grammar. I bet that didn't even make sense. Anyhow, please forgive me for any mistakes that are found in this blog. I didn't do much book learning as a child. Feel free to pass judgment.
Just a quick note to all of the educated out there. I have been known to be less than proficient with my grammar. I bet that didn't even make sense. Anyhow, please forgive me for any mistakes that are found in this blog. I didn't do much book learning as a child. Feel free to pass judgment.
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