Making the Connection

I found myself dragging my feet along the ground and hiding behind my shadow of doubt. Most fear what they do not understand, and I was there, placed in a state of foreignness. As a teenager, I stayed engaged with my elders that were well past the state of juvenile rudeness, for some reason I never was able to handle my peers immaturities. Now well past that age I still remember how teens treats, adults and peers alike. My fear is the social trends that teens follow.
I am a volunteer at the Monroe, YMCA, and I was placed in the MAP (Minorities Achievers Program) an after school study group at the middle school. My fears were settled there, this is where I want to be. I love how the kids are there to get extra help on the schoolwork. The children are very sweat and considerate of the staff, seminally wanting to hold a close relationship.
This past Saturday night I was at the teen night; there were close to a hundred teens at the YMCA. Now more than ever I see how the children need a good, firm, yet understanding bond with a positive set of adults. I found it amazing how some of there attitudes literally in a large group changed similar to night and day. Grouped together the teens resembled a set of never endings exposed to the raw environment of social panic. Some teens sneaking out to go wherever they wanted to, but rules for teen night say once you leave you cannot come back. Most of the kids did what was normal, I guess, at one point I was almost trampled, by a pack of teens scavenging for the clues to get them to the treasure. This is what I feared; they had lost all respect and were running around like a pack of animals. The first thing that came to mind was that poor man that was trammeled in the mall, in New York, on black Friday.
Still left in bewilderment of the need to be selfish at that age, but if it was not for the YMCA it’s possible that those teens would be wandering around on the streets. I came home in tears, what connection was there. The few kids I was able to play a game or two with, or the few glancing smile from a kid or two, but really what was needed out of me. I started to wonder what I was doing wrong, some of the staff was dancing, some were playing baskets ball, and some were there so long all the children knew who they were; I was left untrained and unnerved. I’m not going back to the teen night ever again was my instance thought; with the group so large it would take me years to get them to like me at the rate I was going.
Then again, I was only being selfish myself, although I went into it with thought of interacting with the kids at the fullest rate possible really, I found myself struggling to smile by the end of the night. These teens had no clue who I was and treated my just like that. Well I concluded that I was going to commit, on night a month even though the first night was painful and very upsetting, I still am adult that can relate to what most of the teens are unfortunately going though. However, I would have to find my edge, a hook to get them no who I was and help then they might understand why I want to be there for them.
I have an amazing way of connecting with young children with my artistic abilities, so then my thoughts were to try simulating a connection with art projects and musical acts. I would really like to get involved because I care about how these kids will end up. I might not be trivial, or in to sports much, but boys and girls alike never get tired of showing of their artist abilities. I did forget how many walls kids have up for whatever reason, and how many boundaries they are trying to push. By letting them know that I am willing to face more rejection will hopefully show them that I am there for them.

Perseverance is a solid refection that I hope to shine on another.