Do you know when your life really began to take off for a smooth path? It is
when you learn that you are a valuable human being.
I like to tell you a story.
There was this little girl in the village by the name of Far. She is so far
from anyone who is close to her as her parents left her to work. She has no
idea how far they go but there were that no communication is available.
Remember those were the days where communication is about writing letters that
might arrive one month later. She was only 7 years old then. There were
no one for her to go back to but thankfully she was enrolled to the school
before her parents left. She goes to school as usual and she just survive. She does
not know anything about what being a child means. She doesn’t know what it is
like to have a family and she don't know what is needed to be a simple girl of
7 years old. God must be taking care of her somehow. She was staying in the
area where drugs and brothels are the daily trade of that place. The mouse is
as big as the cats and it's always running around as it is their home in the
place where she stayed. Playing with the cockroaches is like the fun thing that
she can do. That's life at the place that she is staying.
As for the school, it was another different story. She is lucky to have the
transportation fetching her to and fro from the school. She attended the school
as usual and never was anywhere close to being the top of the class. She is
always getting all the red marks on her report cards. She was pretty proud of
it too because she does not understand what is the different between red and
blue. To her it is just a report card that nobody can sign. She has to give all
sort of excuses when the teachers asked to see her parents. The worst part is
when teachers have to collect school fees. She has to go into hiding because
she has no money to pay and she don't even know where her parents are. Day and
night, night and day she waited. Days become months and months become years.
Somehow the little girl dying slowly inside. She lost her authenticity of
childhood since she didn't experience it the way all children should. To her,
she just needs to breathe and stay alive. Even when she was sexually abused,
she did not dare to say anything because she is Far - a person that is not
important at all. She was always living in fear for months until that guy was
caught by the police. She remembers that she must be a good girl because
her mother always said that she was pickup from the garbage dump.
As she grows older, she knows that in order to be getting some attention she
must learn to say "Yes” to do any tasks that is given to her. She will do
anything to just have the opportunity of watching television from the gate of
her neighbours and stand quietly there. If she is lucky, she might get to go in
and sit on the floor watching with the owner of the television. At that time,
having a television is like having the whole township bowing to you.
She learns how to market herself to get the things that she wanted.
She starts to do a lot of chores for neighbours just to get a piece of cake or
a slice of goodies because she just does not have that kind of luxury.
By the time her parents came back, she is already about 9 years old. They
keep shifting houses because her parents do not have the money to stay in one
place for too long. Furthermore, her father is owing so many people money. She has
to go into hiding whenever the loan shark came. Life was really tough for a
girl at her age.
Then things began to get better and at a tender age of 10 she is already babysitting
just to get some cakes for her family. She has to cooked and wash clothes for
her family while taking care of the younger siblings since her parents are
working. Nobody understands her and nobody cares because at an era the older
one has to take care of the younger ones.
Gradually things began to be better for her family but cash is still short.
Her money worked very hard to feed the family. Her dreams were all shattered
and she just want to make sure she has food and clothes to wear. Things started
to settled but the little girl Far, never really leave that sadness during the
growing up stage. Her whole life is wasted and she know that her only survival
tool is to say "Yes" no matter how much she wants to refuse because
she is having so much fear of failing. She always thought that she failed as a
person. So, she just uses "Yes” to buy her way.
to be continue.....
Hope you understand this story is all about standing up for yourself if you
have come across similar case like this, please lend a hand to that person.
Listen to their pain of growing and assist them to walk out bravely. If you do
not have that expertise, feel free to contact me as I will be in touch.
