Life Beyond

We were poor! Dad would say we may be poor but we don’t have to be stupid or dirty! There were times that when we had no heat, electricity, or food! Imagine no heat during the blizzard of 1978! Imagine no food – nine kids with hunger pains! Thank God for the free lunch program and the Salvation Army!

I’m one of nine kids – seven girls and two boys – Catholic family from the projects of Lynn, MA. My Dad was creative in the kitchen – rice and milk with a little butter and sugar – makes a great breakfast! Oh, rice soup with bits of chicken was a great meal for nine hungry children. We had dessert, too! Can you guess? Yes – rice pudding! I hate rice! Dad was a master chef!

The Salvation Army was my salvation, literally. The Captains and Majors taught me the meaning of servant leadership. I sang at local nursing homes, stuffed Christmas bags for needy children, lead Bible study sessions, cleaned the local parks, collected toys for the Christmas party, lead art classes during the summer camp, and served lunches during the summer lunch program. Servant leadership propelled me to my life purpose – impacting the life’s of children in need.

How would I live out my life purpose? School was my salvation! My love of reading began at St. Kilian’s Catholic School in first grade with Sister Shawn Mary. I was the only one in the class – the only little colored girl. Sister Shawn Mary had this rocking chair at the front of the class. At reading time, everyone was reading, but, me. Sister Shawn Mary put me in her lap and read and read and read! And, eventually, like magic, I began to read. Devine intervention is what Sister Shawn Mary would say. She was the teacher that intervened on my behalf – loved, honored, respected, and comforted me. Taught me.

And, I will continue to support my life purpose; to propel life beyond for one of nine colored kids from the projects; to make life beyond a reality; to become a servant leader as a teacher and positively impact the life’s of all the eager young minds. Creating a life beyond for all students to become servant leaders who participant in the global economic society is my life purpose.