Writings by Learners

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On the Road Again
by John Springer

Several weeks ago I had the pleasure of being a driver for the Globetrotters. It was a lot of fun and I had the chance to watch all the games. I even helped to set up some of the equipment and to participate in some on their performance. The show were very good. I had never seen them before except on television. They were excellent and I enjoyed the shows very much.

Dear Janet,

        As I sit here wondering what to say to you for Valentine's Day...I know we are not a couple. This is the only time I can tell you how I feel for you-what it means to have you in my life. You are a wonder to me. You have the beauty of an angel and the smile that warms my heart like a warm summer day. Your spirit is like stars in the sky at night, so bright that I wish I could touch them. On the day when I know I will see you, I am like a kid on Christmas Day-can't wait for the morning to come. I can see your spirit at work when you are speaking to other people; how you make them smile! People who meet you tell me what a lucky guy I am. I hope people tell you the same about me. My birthday is coming up this month, and when I blow out the candles on that cake, and people say, "Make a wish," my wish will be to have you with me forever. If I was to dream of me getting married to anyone, it could only be you; and on that day, I will be the happiest man on earth because you are the only woman who can touch my heart.

                                                        Gary

I was raised by my grandmother. My life was hard.
        I went to school. I wanted to learn, but my teachers made learning hard and painful. I wanted help, but my teachers never helped me.
        My parents left me when I was about seven months old. They broke up and moved away. They left me with my grandmother. She couldn't read and write so I had no help reading and writing.
        One day my dad sent for me. It was the happiest thing that happened to me. I was glad to leave St. Lucia. One of the reasons why I was so glad to leave is because there was nothing happening for me. At fifteen I was out of high school and didn't have the ability to read or write. My life was going downhill.
        Then, when I got here, I wasn't so happy. My dad was angry that I couldn't read and write. He helped me with a tutor and put me through school.
        From this point on, I learned to keep moving on. My dad trips a lot. He tries to control my life. He tried to make my life decisions for me. From this point on, living with him didn't work out, so he kicked me out. I moved on my own. I think I've been on my own most of my life.
        My dad thinks I go too fast. He is afraid to take chances. But I am not afraid to take chances in life. I do what I have to do.
        When I think about all I have been through in my life, it has been an economic crisis. Only God and I know all about it.
        There is still a long way to go, but I think hanging in there is the best thing for me to do. Getting all the help that is available to me will keep me occupied.
        From this point on, after all I have been through and all that I will go through, I have learned to move on with what I know and build from there, not just think I can't go any further. I have also learned to stay strong and believe in myself.
        From my experience in life, being a dad is to be there for a child. Do not let what you went through keep on and on. Being a man and taking care of responsibility is what makes a man, not running away from them.

Taking advantage of tickets The Magic Theatre donated to Project Read in February, Coquese Coleman attended a performance of Eyes for Consuela by Sam Shepherd. Here is his response to the play.

The love for family is so unconditional you will go to any means necessary to show just how you really care. In the play, there was a man who killed his wife and blinded his father-in-law. He tried to make his wife's ghost happy by taking eyes of other people. If you are taking lives to show how much you care, it really means that your life is unmanage able. So a man showed the husband what he was doing was very wrong. He was not showing love by hurting other people.

I never experienced the feeling of love starting with hate until I saw this play. I really enjoyed this play.

My prayer is: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
        This is a daily prayer. For the things I cannot change today must be accepted today. But tomorrow they may be changeable. What explains the apparent paradox is that once we have really and fully accepted something, it begins to change. The objective fact may remain unchanged, but our attitude towards it or our relation to it has changed. It is with our attitude and our relationships to people and things that we must learn to live. Have I changed my attitudes?
        So I pray for God, help me live fully in this day, neither forward nor backward, but here and now. A poem comes to my mind. It was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

There are some who want for nothing_all their dreams come true. They are the rich and famous, unknown to me and you. They're know the whole world over and dine with kings and queens on caviar and vintage wines beside their pampered queens. There are some who possess nothing of value in this life. They dream of a much kinder world that is free from pain and strife. Their dreams are often shattered and no one seems to care. Too many bills, too little pay is a burden hard to bear. These poor and unknown people do work that must be done to afford the rich and famous their moment in the sun.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3