Memoirs of a reluctant Bulker

He lived a life of abuse for many years. Dad was no dad at all and Mom? Since she was living a life filled with abuse and negativity, she probably never even noticed the torture being levied upon her son and two daughters. Each night when Dad came home from the bar, he would take turns letting out his pent up frustration, in a unique fashion, on each of his internal family members. On the outside, Dad was a business man, a respected memeber of the community, and unfortunately as is the case many a times, a leader of the church. Folks from the neighborhood, would always tell the boy, "Boy, you’re one lucky fellow! Your Daddy is a great man! Count your blessings!" Confused, Scared, Alone: For many years the boy endured the type of life that has been systematically labled as the cause of many of today’s unrepairable psychological disorders.

Call it inner drive, call it a proactive and inherent nature, call it divine intervention, this boy was not to be categorized by a situational demand beyond his control. No, he would not fall into the category of criminal, patient, and / or inmate: His most rightful and understandable destiny. He would make a positive difference regardless of the torturous onslaught his Dad / mentor continuously assailed against him and his family. 

When the boy was thirteen and for all intents and purposes, by the grace of God, Daddy met a violent end to the tyrannical lifestyle he secretly lived. One rainy night during the Monsoon season in Central Arizona, Daddy was driving home from his favorite bar, angry, upset, and bent on relieving his anger. After the accident, the police men investigating the scene were hard pressed to identify the logical reason for the man’s death. Official cause of death in the end, read like a newly created hypothesis deep within the Extraterrestrial Life Forms lab at Area 51. This unfoundational cause was accepted, in lieu of a reaonsable explanation. For how does one explain with reason, the scenario where a single car appears as though it has hit a brick wall, in the middle of the road, crumpling itself in such a manner, that the driver is crushed to death? No brick wall, no other vehicle.

The boy, his sisters and his Mom, were unmoved by the news of the accident. Many in the community struck out verbally at this reaction, as immoral, callous and uncarring! How could this family not feel remorse by the death of such a "Great Man?" Out of pure grace and pure spirit, did this family not once, speak of the evil and hideous behaviour’s of this man. The horrific lives they were forced to endure for many years, were buried that day along with the instigator.

Today, the boy serves as an inspiration to many: His peers in school, his brother’s and sister’s in church, his neighbors, and the one’s who share his secret. He proactively is at the top of his class as a Senior in High School, is involved with and leader of the High School program that has enabled him to enter Yale upon graduating as a Junior. He interns as a trainer both on the High School football team, and at the municipality ambulance center for thirty hours each week: This in addition to his full-time job he works after school and on weekends. His aspirations of becoming the finest neurologist in the world, seemingly and fittingly, have all but been granted. All of this he gladly accomplishes in a positive way, never speaking in a negative tone and always embracing new challenges in a flexible and confident way.

Mom is diagnosed with Cancer and subsequently prognosed with imminent death: Untreatable they determine. Depression runs amuck from those who are familiar with the boys situation. "What will become of him," they say in whispers…The boy, with so much weight on his shoulders, again proves that inspiration typically comes from the most unlikely of places, when he announces one bleak afternoon, "Mom died today, but before she did, she told me that our story must be told, that she was proud of me, that she loved me, and that I was an inspiration to her." The boy breaks down, as he speaks the story to of all people, his High School English teacher, who ironically and as is the case with many unsung heroes, had served as an inspiration to the boy.

The preceding story, was………..TRUE. The boy will be entering Yale as a Junior pre-med student in August of 2008. As I was told this story by someone who is quite close to me, I welled up inside, I smiled, and felt extreme euphoria, fullly from the realization, that awesome people do still exist: Many times, in the most unlikely of places…..

"I will live to be a positive inspiration today!" This is my decree……What’s yours?

This entry was posted on Friday, September 28th, 2007 at 11:33 am and is filed under Training, Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.