Guest guest Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Just writing and thinking but wanted to share this as I know someone will comment and add to it. Also, because I want to spread thw rod about foster childern needing suitcases. Long ago, I had picked out the picture for the cover of the book I might someday write. While the background is faded, the foreground is clearly an image of a young child perched on a tall red stool at an empty restaurant counter. A tattered maroon suitcase had been tossed stopped only by the legs of the stool. The child's tear stained face her, furloughed brow and pinched downward lips gives evidence to the feelings bottled up by the child. I am that little girl yet I am 59 years old. This memory has been alive in me all these years and so has been the sadness. Today, a friend emailed me regarding a suitcase drive she was organizing for foster children at her Unity church. I bombarded her with questions, I googled " suitcases for foster children " . It seems foster children often carry their belongings in garbage bags from home to home, often losing their possessions in the move. I hope they're not using the economy bags, I thought. My heart opened up and my eyes filled with tears having some firsthand knowledge of foster living. I told my family and friends about the project and posted it on facebook. After work, I bought a brand new suitcase to give. The suitcase is wheeled and expandable just like my own heart. Who would of known that the simple act of buying a suitcase for another child would push those childhood memories out of today's picture. Years of therapy and that's all it took. I make a mental note to myself : Thank my friend for bringing this gift to me and ask if I can be part of it next year. Suitcases or large duffle bags can also be donated to your local foster care agency. I hope you will. On http://www.volunteerguide.org/hours/service-projects/foster-children, I read that a child can hold it head up a little higher knowing someone cares. My own suitcase to me means I have the right to own, and have my belongings respected. Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 29, 2012 Report Share Posted February 29, 2012 Thanks for your post. It reminds me of HOW MUCH our adult lives are formed and fertiled from simple acts of validation, respect, love, and caring whilst we were all growing up, as children. Sometimes, i read about all these tragic stories of children broken, abused, or abandoned, and i wish this would never ever have to be. But the reality of this world, is that the world is full of such people, incapable of being parents at the time or not quite ready yet, etc etc, and that as long as we have such parents, we will always have a generation of children still lost and searching. Children already grow up into a very unpredictable world, full of bullying, intimadation, envy, and ambiguity, and the only thing they can fall back on sometimes, is the sense of validation from their own parents. Tom > > Just writing and thinking but wanted to share this as I know someone will comment and add to it. Also, because I want to spread thw rod about foster childern needing suitcases. > > Long ago, I had picked out the picture for the cover of the book I might someday write. While the background is faded, the foreground is clearly an image of a young child perched on a tall red stool at an empty restaurant counter. A tattered maroon suitcase had been tossed stopped only by the legs of the stool. The child's tear stained face her, furloughed brow and pinched downward lips gives evidence to the feelings bottled up by the child. > > I am that little girl yet I am 59 years old. This memory has been alive in me all these years and so has been the sadness. Today, a friend emailed me regarding a suitcase drive she was organizing for foster children at her Unity church. I bombarded her with questions, I googled " suitcases for foster children " . It seems foster children often carry their belongings in garbage bags from home to home, often losing their possessions in the move. I hope they're not using the economy bags, I thought. > > My heart opened up and my eyes filled with tears having some firsthand knowledge of foster living. I told my family and friends about the project and posted it on facebook. After work, I bought a brand new suitcase to give. The suitcase is wheeled and expandable just like my own heart. Who would of known that the simple act of buying a suitcase for another child would push those childhood memories out of today's picture. > > Years of therapy and that's all it took. I make a mental note to myself : Thank my friend for bringing this gift to me and ask if I can be part of it next year. Suitcases or large duffle bags can also be donated to your local foster care agency. I hope you will. On http://www.volunteerguide.org/hours/service-projects/foster-children, I read that a child can hold it head up a little higher knowing someone cares. My own suitcase to me means I have the right to own, and have my belongings respected. > > Lin > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thanks Tom I agree. I think my writing needs more work. I like your statemnt ,how much of out lives are formed from validation, respect, love and caring. I also think I will look more into volunteer opportinites for foster childern. I have been afraid to get to involved. I am afraid I wont want to let go of the kid but maybe I can at least do these type of activites to help. > > > > Just writing and thinking but wanted to share this as I know someone will comment and add to it. Also, because I want to spread thw rod about foster childern needing suitcases. > > > > Long ago, I had picked out the picture for the cover of the book I might someday write. While the background is faded, the foreground is clearly an image of a young child perched on a tall red stool at an empty restaurant counter. A tattered maroon suitcase had been tossed stopped only by the legs of the stool. The child's tear stained face her, furloughed brow and pinched downward lips gives evidence to the feelings bottled up by the child. > > > > I am that little girl yet I am 59 years old. This memory has been alive in me all these years and so has been the sadness. Today, a friend emailed me regarding a suitcase drive she was organizing for foster children at her Unity church. I bombarded her with questions, I googled " suitcases for foster children " . It seems foster children often carry their belongings in garbage bags from home to home, often losing their possessions in the move. I hope they're not using the economy bags, I thought. > > > > My heart opened up and my eyes filled with tears having some firsthand knowledge of foster living. I told my family and friends about the project and posted it on facebook. After work, I bought a brand new suitcase to give. The suitcase is wheeled and expandable just like my own heart. Who would of known that the simple act of buying a suitcase for another child would push those childhood memories out of today's picture. > > > > Years of therapy and that's all it took. I make a mental note to myself : Thank my friend for bringing this gift to me and ask if I can be part of it next year. Suitcases or large duffle bags can also be donated to your local foster care agency. I hope you will. On http://www.volunteerguide.org/hours/service-projects/foster-children, I read that a child can hold it head up a little higher knowing someone cares. My own suitcase to me means I have the right to own, and have my belongings respected. > > > > Lin > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 1, 2012 Report Share Posted March 1, 2012 Hi Lin,I am so glad you posted about this--I know some about kids who are in custody of the state, and looking for foster homes. I never would have thought of this, and it seems so obvious. I am going to contact the foster childrens folks today. I am glad you mentioned the kinds with wheels (actually, everything might come with wheels these days). obviously bags of differing sizes could be used. thank you again... Wanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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