We have to talk about it friends. I know.. It seems.. Wrong and weird but it is human nature to be recognized for the ways that we are changing communities and someone's world. And this is not to call anyone out but myself.
There are so many times in my life that I wished that someone gave me an award for not giving up. For continuing to try even when every barrier was right in from of me.
I would hear words of encouragement but there was this deep yearning for someone to fully see me and fill in the gaps that I lacked in every aspect of my life.
I could imagine it on a daily basis as I drove to work.
Being called and told, "Danisha... We want to honor you for your bravery. Your dedication. Your UMPTH in life. We want to honor you for not giving up, for pouring into other people. To giving it all you had and more. Come get this award and a fancy trip to Hawaii..."
I figured, I'd have to have a nice dress as well, get a new hair-do... And then, I'd imagine my acceptance speech.
It would be something like, "I want to thank my... Siblings. My husband. The friends who have come and gone. The teachers and professors who encouraged me. And those who even insulted me. You all showed me that even though the world has evil in it, there is good in this world. Thank you for running you race so that I can be encouraged to run in mine.."
And then I would stop day dreaming.
When you get to the point of life when you just hope that someone sees your efforts and how you are doing all you can, you may or may not realize that it is our deep need to simply be held and loved.
It stops becoming about the recognition and simply is about the need to be loved, seen, and known.
In my foster care advocacy, I have noticed times that I realize that I wanted someone's recongition or an award. I saw others getting them that were running massive orgiznations with the most amazing missions and reach. And I at back to think, "Little ol' nobody me will never get recognized.... I'm not big enough or have an army behind me."
I would sit back and start to get... dare I say... JEALOUS of their success but I was never aware of the things they had to do to get to this moment. They were in their MOMENT and I was in my emotions.
But I reconized something... There are only a few people getting recognized in the foster care spaces. And there are hundreds and thousands of us who are helping the foster care arena that don't (and may never get recognized). Not because we are not worthy, but because the title we hold is not seen. It's behind closed doors.
Over the last year, I realized something: When you sit down with these CEOs and organizational leaders, you start to see the heartbeat behind what they do.. You see who they serve. You start to see them as a human and not a competition.
I may never get the award of my dreams for getting to where I am. BUt do you know what I received in return that was better?
I have met amazing people that I have met. I have seen how they have helped people. I have seen how other foster youth do not have to go through what I did for as long as I did because someone who had the ability, stepped into their purpsoe in life.
Look.. Run on sentences, misspellings, and grammar issues (or all), I am proud to know that there are people out there using their giftings and callings to serve foster care youth everyone..
CAn I ask for something specific though? If you know a foster parent, guardian, kindship parent, CPS worker, judge, or any foster care orgnaizaitons- can you cheer them on? What they do is not easy. And they don't always get positive feedback or support.
Let's change that. Let's be their army so that they can continue to move mountians for the underdog like me.
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