I remember near Christmas ............ sitting with a group of three after our evening meal in the YMCA.

 

On the 3rd of December I posted the photo above on my www.pipwilson.com blog.

Then I shared how I was working in a London Hostel with teens and twenties. A late night gathering of BHP's who have lived lives NOT like ours. ( maybe your life has been experienced similar to them?)

I quoted my starting activity below::

I started by giving each member of the group a little Christmas tree the size if a 5 pence coin, See PHOTO above, sprinkled on my desk.

Then I asked what feelings they had - 
seeing these - feeling this. 
As usual, many have difficulty to contact how they feel. 
Out-spilled words like 
'I hate Christmas', 
'I don't like Christmas', 
'I have no money to buy, not even, one present.'

I have worked/led 5 different residential communities in my life -  with youngsters who lived with their seasonal reflection                             "I hate Christmas".

On top of this I have spent years travelling to different towns and cities conducting group work with young torn-apart lives. Some rejected - all of the dejected.

I remember near Christmas ............ sitting with a group of three after our evening meal in the YMCA. I asked them a question - a BECOMING question. = If I gave you £10 to spend - what would you do with it?

Heads dropped. Thinking time ...... then the first to speak said "I would buy a Christmas present for my Nan"    The second one spoke after a long pause:: "I would go out and buy some boots or trainers because the only ones I have are full of holes and my feet get totally sodden in the cold wet weather" .................................. The Third guy paused somewhat longer ( I filled up with tears as I type these words for you - as I remember ) ....................................Then he spoke, head bowed, no eye contact    "I wouldn't take the money. I have never so much money and I don't know what I could do with it"

!!!!!!!!!!

*Everyone we meet is fighting a battle we know nothing about*  Whatever their behaviour - trust that they are doing their best - it costs nothing if we are wrong but benefits count massively if we are right ........... this act is called 'Love'.

Yesterday I posted that you/me -  everyone  having a 'UPSTREAM' ............ often never revealed to ANYONE.

EVERYONE HAS AN UPSTREAM

YET the experiences live on in the memory (in our gut) of the beautiful human - in pain especially at Christmas ..........

BLOB UPSTREAM can be downloaded from:: 

BlobTree.com

BHP