I've been feeling so trapped by monotony that I tried riding backwards in elevators just for kicks. Really bothers people when someone defies convention. Or is there some law that says elevator passengers must stand facing forward?
I've always resisted boundaries that limit creativity and adventure. As a kid, if an adult told me, "Girls don't climb trees," I'd climb the highest one. When teachers said, "Draw inside the lines," I colored perfectly outside the lines.
Yes, challenge boundaries in the wrong way and you land in jail. or worse. But defy limits in the right way? You can change the world.
I was thinking of two Haitian boys who told us their parents died when their houses collapsed in the earthquake. They said they ran for their lives but got lost and had been running ever since. We brought them to our camp to take care of them.
That night our hosts brought back a stranded traveler. As fate would have it, she recognized the boys from a school in the city.
Turns out they weren't exactly orphans running for their lives. They'd made up the story. We couldn't be mad; they'd just wanted an adventure. We arranged to take them home in the morning.
I hope to see the boys again - maybe write a children's book about their adventure. I'm not condoning their actions - they could have gotten hurt or worse. But imagine the men they can become if given the chance to run with an extraordinary vision for their country.
www.facebook.com/shayholland
I've always resisted boundaries that limit creativity and adventure. As a kid, if an adult told me, "Girls don't climb trees," I'd climb the highest one. When teachers said, "Draw inside the lines," I colored perfectly outside the lines.
Yes, challenge boundaries in the wrong way and you land in jail. or worse. But defy limits in the right way? You can change the world.
I was thinking of two Haitian boys who told us their parents died when their houses collapsed in the earthquake. They said they ran for their lives but got lost and had been running ever since. We brought them to our camp to take care of them.
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| Natasha with our adventurers Kevin and Manu. Haiti 2010 |
That night our hosts brought back a stranded traveler. As fate would have it, she recognized the boys from a school in the city.
Turns out they weren't exactly orphans running for their lives. They'd made up the story. We couldn't be mad; they'd just wanted an adventure. We arranged to take them home in the morning.
I hope to see the boys again - maybe write a children's book about their adventure. I'm not condoning their actions - they could have gotten hurt or worse. But imagine the men they can become if given the chance to run with an extraordinary vision for their country.
www.facebook.com/shayholland
Haha... that is a great story! :)
ReplyDeleteim holding them by the back of their shirts to make them stay still for a photo. Manu was the fibber, and was lost from the missionary who takes care of them....but i believe kevins did lose his family in the earthquake
ReplyDeleteyou guys were all so special, Natasha! what wonderful spirits!
ReplyDelete