A realization...

Sometimes when Matt asks -- "how did I change the world?" -- I have a very hard time articulating what impact I have on the world. I mean, I always see how others change my world.

However, it was not until this week that I saw some progress with a young boy with whom I am working. I became involved with a mentorship program through Prevention Specialists of Missouri. Through this program, I mentor a 3rd grade boy.

To give some background:
It's been 9 sessions, and it has been very interesting. The first session, we were working on homework, and it came to a section where he had to read, reflect, and write. When he started to do it, he quickly gave up and hid underneath the desk. Thankfully, the next few sessions, his homework was completed before mentoring time.

However, without fail, the next time we worked on some homework that seemed slightly difficult to him, he shut down.

It's been such a struggle to help affirm that he is smart and can work through the homework. It's highly doubtful that he gets that type of affirmation at home.

One thing that I have observed is that he loves to play. When things get tough, the first thing he asks is, "can we go to the gym?". Another thing I have observed is how creative he is. We will sit down and play with Jenga blocks and make these worlds that are fun and interesting.

My hope for this child is that he will grow up to be a strong member of his community that is confident in himself and his ability to positively impact the world. However, sometimes, I feel like that no matter what his teachers, other mentors, or myself do, he will always have this challenge of self doubt.

The glimmer of hope:
Due to my job, I had a meeting that was forced on my calendar during the time the mentorship program occurs, so I had to miss a session with my mentee. I figured, "great, all the progress we have made through being present consistently will be demurred".

However, when I came back the next week, the first thing he said was, "you weren't here last week." It made me smile. He wasn't upset. But he was glad I was there that day.

Then we proceeded to work on homework. (Some of the homework stumped me). When he would start to shut down, I would continue to encourage him, and he would keep trying to figure it out. Before the end of the session, we were able to finish the homework without him hiding under the table and to play.

Conclusion:
It was not really until this moment that I realized that I am impacting his life. I am changing his world--for the better.

Moral of the story--consistency is key; never give up hope.