Passions

Art? Music? Teaching? Caring? Giving? Learning? Sports? Reading?
Whether or not your passion has to do with any of the above or anything else under this sky, or in this universe, passions are something that I have learned will get me through life with a smile brightly placed on my face.

Every monday night I go to a homeless shelter in downtown Atl and I have absolutely fallen in love with it. It's not a matter of being praised for going or having a night out away from the chaos at home, I love it because the joy I find in bringing a little sunshine into the childrens lives who stay there in the evening.

I first began going to the shelter because I had a friend in the family who said that i would enjoy the ladies there, and I wanted to experience something different in the form of giving. I went for a few weeks and learned that this was something I certainly enjoyed doing. I was not attached to any one of the ladies or the kids there because I simply cooked and served them dinner. It wasn't til Night of Hope ( the name of the homeless shelter) changed locations that i began getting tremendously attached to someone I had only met once before.

I continued to go see Caressa, a little girl only two years of age. Her mom was single and had no place to go other than the night and day shelters. Caressa immediately grew more and more fond of me. The more I allowed her to toy with my hair and play with my cell phone - something she had never seen before- the more she latched onto me. She began to call me mommy and cried everytime I left. The time that I did spend with her was short, but well spent. i was determined to change this little girls life. I knew that she had nothing, so i managed to round up a few books to take to her, with the help of Missy, a family friend. Caressa loved the books! She read them, as a two year old would, and she laughed at the pictures and brightened up because she had something to carry around and have for herself.

Caressa and I had so much fun every Monday; I loved the fact that I could just bring a simple smile to her face.

yesterday I went to the shelter and looked for Caressa. Lynn, a lady who works there, came to me and told me that she was no longer here, that her mom was ill and Caressa's grandmother had come and taken the baby girl. Slowly tears fell from my eyes and I was lost for a moment. Caressa was someone who I knew changed my life. Although this little girl had nothing she was still able to smile. She was too young to realize what she didn't have, but i know that in some way i was able to touch that little girls heart. I know that her mother did not show her much affection because her mom was young and unsure of what was to come the next day when she would be out on the street again.

How this ties into freedom, well it's a freedom to choose what you are passionate about and I am glad that this is the case in our country. Other parts of our world there is no alowance to be passionate of whatever you please. I am glad that we have the freedom to choose, so if there is anything that you are passionate about, don't let anyone hold you back from that. You have potential and a wonderful country to do what you please as long as it is in the simple guidelines that are placed for our safety. I wake up every morning now and know how wonderful I have it off. Although I do not come from any sum of money and I do not have everything I want, It doesn't matter, I have a roof over my head and a comfy bed to sleep in at night. So pick up that thing that you are passionate about; it doesn't have to be life changing for anyone else and it doesn't have to be anything big, just whatever makes you go for what you love.