everyone matters

"We believe everyone matters even when we don't know why." diversity guy from orientation What gets me out of bed is knowing that I can make someone feel great. Without seeing my impact on those around me I can find life to be very dull. I have grown up with the belief that everyone matters. I come from American White Poverty. Which means we bought cheap clothes, did not go to the doctor, cooked at home, the house was never updated and eventually we lost our home. We had food stamps, old cars and bartered for services. At church I was the "special" project and due to my circumstances my teachers took a "special" interest in me. I did not know myself to be poor until much latter. My parents never blamed our poverty or told me no we cannot afford this or that, they either gave permission or not on their own authority. It was not until I was 18 that marginalization began to sink in. What is it like to know that you are considered a project and to understand what that means? Eventually that knowledge sinks in and changed the way I saw myself, the way I saw my church relationships and the way I saw my family. What am I worth. Does special attention help, save a person or does it cause more damage. My questions are not completely answered and I imagine what I think I know will change as time passes.