Uplifting Stories by Ione Butler

Author:Ione Butler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tiller Press
Published: 2020-04-28T00:00:00+00:00

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JOSHUA WAS A BIG KID, very popular, with an easygoing attitude, who never seemed to take anything seriously. He would always show up to Guitars Over Guns sessions ten minutes late, and never seemed able to focus on a particular instrument, jumping from one to the next. But he showed up—however late—so the people running the program cut him some slack. His mentors discovered that despite Joshua’s apparent confidence, he was very insecure, and his disruptive behavior only sought to cover this secret. They later found out he had some serious trauma at home, which likely compounded his feelings of insecurity.

Unfortunately, there was a limit. While Joshua showed talent, Chad finally had to sit him down and tell him he needed to straighten up and focus, partly because he was stealing attention from other kids who were taking the program seriously. He was asked to leave five times, but each time, he talked his way back into the program.

Though not prepared to play at the Guitars Over Guns graduation concert, Joshua showed up, looking a little sheepish. He surprised his mentors by asking if he could speak. Very eloquently, he confessed to the audience that he’d made it difficult for those running the program, but they still took a chance on him. He apologized for his behavior, and thanked the program and the mentors for not giving up on him. With tears in his eyes, he admitted that he didn’t deserve to graduate from the program, but he wanted them to know how much it meant to him.

Chad and his fellow instructors were humbled. It was such a powerful gesture, from a kid they thought couldn’t have cared less. It served as a lesson for everyone running Guitars Over Guns, who realized in that moment that “our job was not to judge whether the kids cared or not, but rather do what we do and let the kids decide.”

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