Adejoke (not real name)was a Senior Secondary School 3 graduand when the pandemic hit in 2019 and the school was closed all students were sent home.
She lost momentarily her friends, gist, her favourite teachers, she could not converse with them phyisically.
Virtual conversation to her was not commanding enough to replicate the flavour of physical interaction.
The last loss was the final year prom she and her friends had dreamt and prepared for.
She also lost in-person graduation ceremony.
Adejoke admitted that while this certainly wasn’t the
end of the world, it did cause her to stop dreaming. That inevitable moment, she began battling depression, and her mother grew worried.
One day, she randomly saw a news story on television about her local hospital’s need for help.
Medical staff were going without meals as they worked around the clock to care for patients who’d been infected by the coronavirus.
Suddenly, Adejoke lit up. Instead of being absorbed by her own losses, she became captivated by those who were in worse shape than she was. This need nudged her to bounce back and bet on herself.
What did she do?
Adejoke called a young woman who HAD HELPED HOSPITAL staff in her area and inquired about what steps she took.
Then adejoke went to work herself. She launched a website page to garner donations.
She visited restaurants and grocery stores and asked them to donate food.
Then she rounded up a bunch of student volunteers to make meals and deliver them to the hospital. Those teens placed the meals under the curtains or just outside of doors so workers could continue serving patients while they ate. Everyone won. The staff were fed, the patients were cared for and Adejoke bounced back
REFLECT AND RESPOND!
A thought conceived after hearing the news on TV of medics in need of help made Adejoke bounce back and she quickly remembered a woman WHO HAD HELPED HOSPITAL staff in her area in time past became a source of inspiration for her to recall herself back.
An act of kindness once rendered by an adult or anyone around us could serve as an impetus for a depressing mind. What this means is that whatever we do around children and teenagers can either make them victims or victors
Let’s ponder on these home play;
1. Have you spotted this kind of melancholy mindset in any teenager or student?
2. What’s been your mode of operation to rekindle the passion in teenagers?
3. What new idea(s) entered your mind as you listened to this story.
Let’s attempt this.
Thank you for listening to my story
Akinropo
#legacyhut
#teenagerlife