People Need People

Life is beautiful.., just look around! Do you see it? Not really? Something is wrong? Oh, I understand.. sometimes talking about homelessness makes you feel uncomfortable, and they - homeless people - are in the way of that world beauty we were talking about... Come on, stop for a second, look around. Do you see them-those people who need your help because they have nothing...
Just remember that it takes so little to save a life, and believe me, it is worth it...

For a moment try to remember one of those "terrible weather " days, which our Colorado is famous for. It is raining and snowing at the same time. Extremely windy, for a second you even start wondering that if wind had fingers and nails your face right now would be bleeding from its scratches and hits. You try to run but soon realize that it is not worth it due to uncomfortable difficulty breathing. You stop only for a second to catch your breath, during that short moment you manage to blame yourself for not putting on that old fashioned but extremely warm green sweater. Finally after couple deep inhales and self blaming words you are ready to face harsh weather challenge while getting to your car or bus from the campus area.
Do you remember that feeling? I guess you do. There are numerous days and nights in Colorado when cold rain, snow and wind start playing games, which are not fun and sometimes even fair towards us.
How long does it usually take you to get to your car or a bus from the campus? Ten, fifteen minutes, half an hour, and then with the switch of heater the suffering is over? Now, how would you feel if you didn't have a car, a bus or home to come back?
If only words could change the reality… There would be so many things to talk about and life would be much easier. In that case what would you talk about? Now, after our second challenge, I know what I would talk about - homelessness. Obviously, just talking is not enough. Homelessness is one of the main issues city of Denver is facing at this moment. Simple awareness and concern will help to make a difference (you know what is said about one head compared to couple working together).
Did you know that according to the recent Denver's Road Home reports (http://www.denversroadhome.org/):
60% of homeless are people in families with children.
29% respondents of Denver's homeless are women.
40% of Denver's homeless are currently employed.
The same reports state the most common reasons for becoming a homeless in Denver area are:
Loss of job - 28%
Housing cost - 23%
Breakup of the family - 20%
Seems, that living in this society that is changing extremely fast , it is impossible to know what tomorrow will bring to you and to people you care about. It might take only one step to loose everything and find yourself on the street. Maybe it sounds cliché but in order to avoid tragic outcomes we must to understand each other, don't group people by their financial status and stick together, simply because people need people. Scary, but time, circumstances and luck determine the situation you might fight yourself in. So why not to try to understand and help others who at this moment are not as fortunate as you...

Giedrute

Is There Speed limit on the Highway to Success?

This morning on my way to school I got pulled over due to speeding. Funny but famous Murphy law always follows me, - those very few times I do something wrong I get caught. Usually, I follow the rules while I am on the road, too much on the steak. However now, trying to navigate 21st century road I catch myself speeding more often not on the highway, but at school, work, personal life, even in this challenge… Seems, that we, students, have to do so much to prove our potential right this moment , to show what we are capable of, and finally to start building beautiful future our society expects us to have. Do I like it? Usually I do (when I am not too exhausted). I am one of those crazy adrenaline fans who will run and run and run..and run. I love being busy, feeling productive and working. I do believe that sleeping 5 to 6 hours is better for you. And if you wonder - the secret of my "successes" is dark chocolate, which is necessary for my and your brain to function.
However, there is one very negative thing about constant speeding in our lives. We forget or simply don't have time to look around further than our backyard. We forget that there are other colors and shapes than the ones surrounding us. Even smell and food could be absolutely different outside our protective walls. We become similar to the racing horses with protections glued close to our eyes from possible outside disruption. Scary but this habit works perfectly convincing us that this is the only right way to become successful.
I think there is nothing wrong with rushing and feeling busy, however, it is necessary to have time and desire to see something more than our own lives. We need to feel urgent responsibility for certain social issues not only for a day or a week after seeing something on CNN or reading a catching book. It is incredibly rewarding to know that somebody needs you, and even better - to understand that WE HAVE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM.
Participation in the Apprentice Challenge gives me an incredible opportunity to face various realities that are impossible to fully comprehend just from reading or hearing about it. I loved working on our second project, where my team and I became familiar with Denver's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and had the ability to work with Disability Center for Independent Living. Also I am extremely excited about our 3rd project because now we are creating science based program for thirty 6th graders who belong to Colorado "I Have a Dream" program. Most of those children daily face the possibility of dropping out of school due to the bad situation in their neighborhoods, poverty, or beliefs that work is more important than school.
It doesn't matter where we go or what we look at, there is always something that needs to be done, improved or encouraged… Let's buckle up and try not to go over the speed limit while navigating in our daily lives. And if you wonder what is the speed limit on the highway to success? I think it depends only from you, as long as you are able to notice your surroundings.

See you on the road