Be Inspired Today

I know that not a lot of people read my blog, but I am hoping that someone will read this particular message. I think it really hits home with what is going on in the news lately.
I was watching Oprah this morning, and the show was one of those really emotional ones that makes you think about what is missing in the world today. I know I was inspired by the theme.
A lot of school shootings have been in the news lately and I think that is tremendously sad.
Today on Oprah, she had a group of 64 teenagers on the show that had experienced something called "Challenge Day". It was meant to help highschoolers break down the barriers between them and get to know their fellow students. So often, as I can personally relate to, kids are teased relentlessly and made to feel like they are nobody special. I experienced it myself and know how it feels to be the "odd one out". What Challenge Day did was allow these students an opportunity to really get to know their classmates on a personal level. For example, students were asked to fill in the blank to the following question : "If you really knew me, you would know...." I was amazed at the answers that students were giving. There were a number of students were expressed to their fellow peers that they continue to be discriminated against, and called derogatory terms, because of the color of their skin. I can't say that I am too surprised by that unfortunatly. Other students confessed to having parents who had walked out on them, or were too sick to care for themselves and these highschoolers were the parent to their parent. One student in particular really struck me, because he was known as one of the
"popular kids" yet the clothes on his back and the food on the table was anything but easy for him and his family. The show also highlighted an activity that required students to cross a line made out of tape, if a statement applied to them. The students were asked such statements as..
"If you have ever felt alone or afraid; If members of your family suffer from addictions; those who have been hit or beaten up by loved ones; and women who have been called names by guys; etc. " I was saddened to see the number of students who were crossing the line. At the end of the program, it really did bring these students together. There were some people who got up in front of everyone and publicly apologized for their actions, realizing the hurt and the harm that words can cause somebody. My hope is that more students will get to know who they go to school with and take it out into the streets. You really do not know who lives next door, or what someone may be going through, unless you really knew them.

I hope that my blog helps people out there get to know their neighbors, and really see beyond the outside. Get to know someone for what is on the inside.

Be Inspired Today- Reach out and touch someone.