Encouraging and haunting all at once!
The following is a letter I received from a teen many years ago. I have shared it before and feel compelled to share it again. It is a letter that both inspires me as a youth worker and sends shivers down my spine. It is a letter that both encourages and haunts me all at once!
(Note: Though a few minor name changes or deletions were made for confidentiality sake, I’ve left the body of the letter exactly as I received it.)
when i started going to the church in grade 9 i wanted to find God. I wanted to believe in something greater than what we have on earth, i wanted some hope.
i don’t know if you knew, but i was very depressed in grade 9. i was cutting my wrists , smoking weed, and often taking large doses of over the counter drugs to help me sleep.
i grew up as a catholic, but i never believed in God, so i turned to the youth group in order to try to help me, from a different perspective, i was as you would explain it. “exploring faith”.
i kept coming back, in order to try and find and understand God, but what kept me coming back more than anything, was the youth and how accepted and loved i felt when i was there. at the time i had alot “friends” but really, i felt lonely. i didn’t trust anyone, because i didn’t trust myself unless i was high, because than i didn’t hate myself.
i want to thank you though. without you, and the youth, i would not be here today. i honestly believe that without the support you provided with me, i would have fallen farther into drugs, become more depressed, and probably would have died from OD, or from cutting my wrists.
you saved me. you also made me a stronger person, you made me be more accepting of other people and i am happier now.
Let me simply say this: The private battles that many of our youth face today are real. The privilege and responsibility of caring for our youth is something we must take seriously. They are not the nameless! They are your neighbour’s kids, they are your friend’s kids, they might even be your own kids!
You just never know when you might be saving a life!
Gratefully yours,
Michael Burns
Director, RE:SOUL Youth Centre / YFC Milton
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