“Our Deepest Fear”—Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
My name is Rosemarie Villarreal, and I am an AmeriCorps member with the Faith in Youth Partnership. “Our Deepest Fear” is a poem I keep close to my heart; it was first shared with me by a powerful and successful woman. This woman took time out of her life to invest in mine. She is my mentor, inspiration, and friend. She gave me the confidence in myself not only to be successful in life, but also to be a leader. I share this with you so that you may have a glimpse of what being a mentor really means.
At Faith in Youth we work with at-risk middle school youth by attending school lunches, and providing after school programming for them to learn and grow in a safe and nurturing environment. At my specific site, Rose Park Reformed Church (RPRC), I run two programs: The Outlet and The Connection.
The Outlet is a one-on-one mentoring program, where I set up mentors with kids to have the attention some kids need. What I really love about The Outlet is that it is completely individual - no cookie cutter programs for me! The matches are personality specific and needs are addressed individually by meeting as a group (parents, children, mentors, and myself) to discuss our goal for the year.
The Connection is an after school program on Mondays and Tuesdays that allow the kids to come to the RPRC to do homework, play games, and unwind after a long day at school. The Connection also takes monthly outings to various places.
Oscar, who is a regular at The Connection, always has something sarcastic to say. When I announced we would be going to Crazy Bounce on the 24th of February, Oscar was one of the first to complain. "That's for babies!" he exclaimed, further stating how boring it would be, and how he would never go there.
The Monday prior to our trip Oscar came in with his money. I was very surprised he was going to come. Thrilled that he decided to join us, I asked him why he changed his mind, but he didn’t reply. Instead he rolled his eyes and went to join his peers.
Tuesday came and it was now time to pack up and go to Crazy Bounce. There was a distinct excitement in the air, though everyone was acting too cool to admit it. The moment we arrived in the building, the kids dispersed. I had a great time watching the kids run back and forth, up and down all the inflated objects. A couple hours into the evening, Oscar came up to me and said, with a big smile, "This is great!" That was the first positive statement he had ever said to me. He is now asking, "When can we go back to Crazy bounce?" I laughed and told him soon.
Being a mentor to kids, even if it’s just one hour a week, can drastically change their outlook on life. Who have you mentored lately?
3 comments:
Rosemarie,
I enjoyed your post, and I love that poem. A few years ago my AmeriCorps members and I took a trip to watch Akeelah and the Bee which features these words.
Since then, it's become an annual tradition to watch Akeelah with my members, and give them a copy of Williamson's poem (which also hangs on the wall in my office).
That piece summarizes the essential strength of the AmeriCorps program: Everyone is special enough, and powerful enough, to make a difference in this world.
Each one of us must have the courage to believe this truth.
Many AmeriCorps members get this, and because they believe so strongly, they make the commitment and sacrifice necessary to get the job done and see power manifested in their communities.
Rosemarie,
I had no idea you were in AmeriCorps as well. What a joy to see a familiar face on the Member Council blog. I hope all continues to go well and thank you for the words of comfort, encouragement and inspiration. They were much needed for me this week.
Rosie-
You are a joy to work with. It's been wonderful seeing you and the students grow to understand and care for each other. You're doing great work here and is evident in the students' weekly attendance.
Thank you for all you do!
Adam
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