My wife and I were watching a recent episode of Dr. Phil when he was discussing bullying and interviewing some real victims and perpetrators. During the show he talked about "defining moments" in a person's life that made the person be who they became to be. He noticed the victims' defining moments were mostly about achievements, whereas for the perpetrators (the bullies) the defining moments were usually traumatic, like seeing a parent arrested.
So I got to thinking about my own defining moments and I definitely remember one very clearly. I too was bullied in elementary school by my peers. It was an almost daily occurrence and I at times dreaded being at school. One good thing was that my home was right next to the school's playground so during recess, if the day's bullying was too much for me to bear, I would run home to tell my mother and she would come talk at the office for me and bring me some temporary relief. Anyway those early years really defined who I was to become years later.
I remember the summer before my 5th grade I attended a summer vacation bible school program at our neighborhood church down the street. It was then that I said the sinner's prayer and confessed my sins and asked Jesus into my life. You know, the born again moment. Well, it turned out to be more than just a spiritual awakening for me. During my 5th grade I gained the confidence to ignore the bullying and to refocus my energy into my schoolwork. I prayed so much for the bullying to go away. The bullying continued but I was less focused on it, even though I did abhor it whenever it occurred.
When I graduated from elementary school and went into middle school, I saw many new kids, apparently graduates from other elementary schools. Then I noticed that just like me, there were other kids who were starting to be bullied. It always seemed to be the quieter and gentler kids who were picked on. It was at those moments, when I saw myself in those abused kids, that my tipping point boiled over and I started to do something about it. I had enough.
It was only a few short weeks into my 6th grade that I gained the strength and stamina to take abuse and to dish it out as well. Only this time, I was dishing it out back at the bullies who were trying to gain the upper hand on me and those other unfortunate students. I remember being in fights so many times during PE and even down the halls between classes. The old bullies were still around and quickly realized I was no longer the same. The new bullies were already giving me some respect because they did not know my history.
I remember the anger and the passion against the bullying whenever I saw it, especially during PE or recess, when the bullies thought they could get away with it. I really lost track of how many times I jumped in to defend someone else. It was almost numbing, getting hit on the face and stomach or getting kicked on my shins, and trying to dish it out even more before they got the best of me. In a matter of a school year, I had transformed into a fighter, even a street fighter since occasionally some of this bullying happened on the street on my way home.
Regardless of the intensity, I never lost sight of not being a bully myself. And yet, my intensity was spilling into my class. I remember my dad and I having a conference with my 7th grade English teacher, who with tears in her eyes told my dad I was a really bright kid but interrupting the class too many times. I had gone mad and out of control and it took a sobbing teacher to bring me back to my senses. It was then I decided I would remain strong within and yet gentle as a lamb. I would continue to defend others and myself, and adamant about maintaining a good learning environment for all.
And that brings me to my current project. Sure I would love to see success for myself, but it's so much more than that. I have five kids and a wife and any kind of success is really just keeping my family afloat in this tough economy. This project is really about bringing success to a segment of people who may not have had the opportunity before.
Throughout this project I have been focused on the best means to bring this success to others. In so doing, there have been many bits and pieces of the project in which I have made decisions not commonly made by the profit-minded. As I reveal more details, I hope to explain why this project has taken the turns it has. As you begin to see more of the project, just keep in mind it is what it is in order to best maximize the benefits to others, both to the consumer (in terms of affordability) and to the designers (in terms of commissions).
In a way you could say I am trying to defend those who lack opportunity against those with so much power, it's not even funny anymore. I mean, in a way you could say the bullies of today are the big corporations who are so profit-minded that they could never introduce a product like mine to the masses for so many different reasons. Perhaps the profits margins are too low. Perhaps the paid out commissions are too high. Perhaps they fear loosing control of the whole concept.
Well regardless, I believe the various industries involved in my project would rather go about producing a product like mine in totally different means. The problem is that greedy corporations and organizations leave very little profits to be shared with the common folk. But what if my experiment, which is all it is up until now, can really flourish. What if my project can make others utterly successful? Let's give it a try. Help me help you.
I really hope I can bring this to market, as there are many bits and pieces yet undone in the grand scheme of things. Yet with your help, all this can be realized much quicker. Please stay tuned in, as I reveal more specific ways in which you can participate and help.
Some of my friends who attended school with me may also remember how helpful I was to them to get them to understand their schoolwork, both in high school and in college. Perhaps at times a little bit too helpful (as in sharing answers). I hope I can continue this same passion via my praps. I hope you can have your very own praps really soon. I promise I am going to give you all the answers really, really soon. Thanks!
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