For now, I want to share this lovely video that moved me so much these past few days.
What helped me was my faith and friends and Vince. When I realized that Jesus actually died for me, that’s really big. That was a huge turning point–I was special enough for someone to lay down His life! My friends are also amazing. They always saw these great qualities that I never knew I had, like I’m smart and funny and hardworking and generous and kind. They told me I was all that and more! Then there’s Vince. Vince is the reason where I am right now. He always wanted to give me the best because he said I deserved it. He also always pushed me and nagged me and scolded me and encouraged me to keep going after my dreams, insisting that nothing was beyond my reach. When you have someone like that in your life, you’re unstoppable.
As a mommy, I realize how just simple affirmation and unconditional love can protect my child from this destructive world. There are already challenges even now in the playground, kids who reject Vito, push him away, ignore him. As he gets older, it will get worse. There will be cliques, gangs, bullies, girls, break-ups, job interviews. There will be friends who no longer want to be friends or move away or die. It’s never going to end. But as long as he has a huge reservoir of love and faith in him, those things won’t destroy him.
And that’s why we parents have to love our children! If our kids know that we believe in them, then they will believe in themselves and there is nothing in this world that can stop a person like that from doing great and wondrous things!