As I have been working with teenagers at the high school level for the past 6 months, I have been at times happy, sad, frustrated, angry, and hopeful. My emotions go up and down with theirs. There had been something bothering me about their words and actions, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it- until the other day when I was mulling over in my mind various phrases to try to describe what I would most like to say to these 14-18 year olds. I am a poetry/poster person, always trying to think of something I can do or say that will inspire or motivate.
I was trying to remember a poster I had seen one time that I thought said, Don't Let Your Past Define Your Future, but that wasn't what I wanted to say. I needed another word. Then it came to me. These kids often times let their past plan what is going to happen to them in the future, like it's a done deal. BUT IT'S NOT!
These kids need to know or learn how to put their mind and truth over their emotions. We all fall into the trap- we are human. The trap meaning we let others actions and words affect us in the deepest parts of our hearts and mind so that we become paralyzed to change our future. Some of us are highly damaged goods and we let our parents, spouses, close friends, co-workers, or whoever is closest to us tell us what we are doomed to do that is negative or self-destructive.
There will always be an ageless debate of whether or not we have genes that lead us to repeat the bad things that our parents have done to us or said to us. We have personality traits that are inherited, but we all can make our own choices about what we do, who we hang out with, how we spend our money, and what habits we pick up. We are not destined for "badness," we are destined to be what God intended us to be and do. We have choices.
My next post will be more about the students, some of the issues they face, and why I think they let their past plan their futures.
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