An exciting thing happens in our world every 4 years, it’s a time when the world sets aside differences and gets together to play games; the winter Olympics! What a thrill to watch the snowboarders fly up in the air and do the seemingly impossible. Figure skaters dance on ice, performing routines that are anything but routine, spinning 4-5 times in the air and landing with the greatest of ease! The practice and the training all the athletes have to do to get to the Olympics, all say it is worth it for the moment! A time when we see the best of our young people!
At the same time across the world at a school in Florida another young man, a 19 year old student, who was expelled from the same school, opened fire and shot as many students as he could! He was said to be an orphan, a loner and an outcast. The local school superintendent stated this was “the worst of humanity”. The Florida state governor stated “how could this happen in this country”?
How could this happen, why did this happen, and what was the difference between these two different types of young people? Could this have been stopped, can it happen again? These are some of the questions being asked, along with many more. I certainly don’t pretend to have answers to them all, only some observations to ponder.
Something one of our figure skaters said after she and her brother had won a bronze metal, in an interview she stated, “We are lucky to have people to support us.” The interview went on with the proud parents talking about the hours of practice that their children had done. Parents, coaches, teammates, friends, people taking an interest in the lives of these young people, all had a part in their success! On the other hand our shooter, an orphan without parents, an outcast and a loner without friends. Why was he “unlucky” to have no one to support him?
At Family First we are here to support our young people, here to help families support their young children, here to support the teens who have no support, no family, and no friends to rally them to victory! Our young people today face pressures and challenges in our world like never before. We all have to step up and encourage, support, train and teach our young people! At the Olympics a pair of skaters dedicated their skate to the victims of the Florida shooting, maybe it’s time for us all to dedicate some time to our young people, invest in the lives of our youth and help our young people to reach their dreams!
At Family First we will continue to pray to God for our children, our families, and continue to dedicate all our resources to “help mothers, youth and families”. Won’t you join us?
God bless,
/s/ Frank and Clare Grochocki