Recently I
sent a letter out to a group of friends in order to receive support for a
program that I’ve developed called EMPOWER ME TO READ AND WRITE! This was a
difficult task for me because it involved a request for help with funding my
project. Asking for funding help is not my strong suit. Asking for anything is
rather difficult for me period. Still, I felt led to send this letter, so I did
it afraid. Here’s what happened…
Words of
affirmation reached my heart:
“I believe
in you.”
“I’m proud
of you.”
“I support
you.”
“You’re
doing wonderful work!”
Those words
were sent along with financial support. I cannot tell you how amazing it feels
to be validated this way. I wasn't expecting such a response. Perhaps I’m a bit
jaded because life has been tougher than usual lately and when we are faced
with persistent challenges during hard seasons, our perspective for good ever
coming our way becomes clouded with doubt. That doubt manifests itself as a
huge roadblock which seems impossible to get around particularly if it’s never
met with a frightening leap of faith.
Maybe we are
most afraid of taking risks because it leaves us completely vulnerable to being
rejected or ignored. Maybe it feels safer never knowing if someone is in your
corner if you don’t ask for their help. Whatever the case, I’m starting to
believe that the perfect antidote for such fear is pushing past all the
apprehension and asking for what you need, butterflies and all.
Lately, I
live with a lot of butterflies in my stomach because everything that I’ve known
to be the norm for me is turning upside down and I have no choice but to learn
this new path that is being paved for me. My program is living proof. I work
with children to ignite a sense of love and passion for literacy and when I
step into a classroom, I never know if my ideas and methods will work but somehow,
by the end of class, I have managed to get their attention and actually get the
students engaged. But the butterflies stay because there is always a next time
and a next class.
What propels
me to keep going is the fact that I love what I do and who I do it for.
But what
gives me wings…are the words of affirmation spoken by friends.
“I believe
in you”
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