Then I read this post this morning, and I instantly felt ashamed at how I'd been before. I guess I never really thought about the fact that these girls may not have anyone at home to show them the right path to growing into an adult, and in some ways they're still a child.
Glennon has become a big inspiration in my life. My devotion to her started with this post, which is inspired by the post that turned her whole world upside down. She went from around 2,000 followers on Facebook to somewhere around 64,000. She's got a book coming out. She's a blogger on Huffington Post. She has become the "it" girl in mommy blogging, and she's amazing. It was her blog that led me to come up with my whole 40 good deeds by the time I turn 40 plan.
So today I gave a little. It wasn't much, but I know that when it's multiplied by the thousands and thousands of Monkees (read her blog to see why she calls her fans that), it's going to make a difference in the life of a girl just trying to do her best in the world for herself and her baby. And if you're moved by the story, considering donate to the cause.
Update: Glennon's Monkees hit the goal. Together they raised $85,000 in 5 1/2 hours.
Yes - you read that right - $85,000.
I totally understand why you'd have the pre-conceived notion that you had about teen moms. It's short sited, but what else would anyone think. I however have an interesting perspective on the subject, being a former teen mom myself. I'm 33 now and my lovely daughter is 16. I was raised in a church and DID know better. I had crushingly low self-esteem due to being a bed wetter and was molested by an older cousin around the age of 9. I had ADD that wasn't diagnosed until after I had my little girl and it was causing me to nearly fail out of school. My mother just thought I was lazy and figured 3 hr lections every day after school or especially after bad report cards were the answer, which just dramatically lowered my self-esteem even more. For me, becoming pregnant was a drastic and painful cry for help! I didn't even want to have sex. I wasn't permiscuous or slutty. I had to force myself to do it, but I felt I had no other choice. You were a freak if you were a virgin in high school and I just didn't know what was wrong with me, that I didn't want to do that. Plus, the offer of "love" by a special boy, was too hard to let slip by on the threat he would leave me if I didn't. I bought all the lies, I didn't have anyone that gave me a reason not to. I hated myself for what I did, but I couldn't change it. I pulled myself up by my boot straps and did the best I could. I've made a million mistakes along the way, but I'm very humbly thankful to say that my daughter and I have a pretty good relationship and that she comes to me about everything. I've messed up a lot, but God's grace covers a multitude of sins. My daughter is 16, has not had sex, and doesn't even date. She sees herself as worthy of waiting for someone special and saving herself for marriage. She sees the point in waiting and knows she's better than that.
ReplyDeleteI think it's big of you to admit your pre-conceived notions may have been wrong. It's my humble opinion that every young lady, permiscuous or not, that ends up pregnant outside of marriage, is broken and hurting and has a past that led up to this situation. She may not even realize it. Brokenness may just be a way of life for her family and she not even know any different, so she just comes across as trashy. But she's broken never-the-less and I think what Sarah is doing is AMAZING!!! I plan to follow in her foot steps. I'm not sure how yet, but I plan on opening a similiar facility one day, hopefully soon!
Lindsay - Thank you for your candor. I'm so sorry that you went through what you did, but it sounds like you have an amazing attitude now (and an amazing daughter to go with it). I think it's also fantastic that you want to give back to help those who may be facing similar situations. Good luck with your endeavors, and thanks for realizing that while we all judge, we all have the capacity for change, too.
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