Thank you friend.
Had an unusual experience today I thought I would write about.
Yesterday about 6 in the evening I get a call from a banker acquaintance wanting to know if I can attend a workshop at 9 this morning for high school seniors from two area high schools. It is a life skills type thing, how to do a budget, live within your means, etc. I was needed to man the housing booth. I had done it before a few years ago and said sure.
Man there was a lot of kids, easily 500. I was asking them if they wanted to buy, rent, or live with their parents and then going over their options further. Lots of cliques and groups of friends wanting to rent a place together.
Then this couple approached, African American, the girl looked like a model and the guy very well dressed with dreadlocks. She handed her materials to him because she had to fix her hair. He said "Uh, whatever!" and we went over his housing needs. It was then I saw on his wrist a bracelet, one of those mass produced bans that said "I heart boys". Wow.
I went on thru the rest of the group, several people had to come back to see me to get a cheaper place to live when they went over budget. I saw the couple sit back down, with a large group of girls. I kept wanting to tell him I was proud of him somehow. Then here he comes. He was $250 in the red each month. I told him he had a two bedroom apartment, he could get a room mate and halve what he was spending each month. It put him back on track and then I said:"I'm glad you came back because when you were here earlier I saw your wrist band, and I want you to know I am proud of you, and I wish I had had my act together when I was your age, I could have saved a lot of time and heart ache." He seemed a little embarrassed but he smiled and said thank you. We shook hands.
Sometimes, I am still amazed the world has gotten as better as it has. Sometimes, the road ahead does not seem that long.