By Alena T.
A bad night, with a worse hangover, and the only thing on my mind was remorse. Sitting on my parents’ bed with my bloodshot eyes, my mother brushed my hair for me. Incapable of doing anything myself, I did not care about what I did or how my actions affected the people I loved. This was my frequent behavior in my parents’ household.
When I got to The Family Foundation School I didn’t care about what I looked like. I told myself I’m not trying to impress anyone so why should I dress nicely. There was no need to wear makeup or brush my hair.
Then, one regular Thursday night after the Family Three girls walked up to the dorm in silence, I walked over to the mirror to straighten my hair for cheerleading at the basketball game the next night. I went to my dresser and I took out my hair straightener and saw my brush sitting on top of my dresser. I grabbed my brush and walked over to the mirror and started to brush my hair for the first time in 16 months.
I started to cry and the only thing I thought of was when my mother tried so hard to spend some time with me and she would brush my hair for me. I had that feeling of remorse again and my eyes were blood shot, but not because I was high. But because of my tears of hurt. One of the girls in my dorm asked me if I could brush her hair for her and I gladly said yes. I told her why I was crying and how I felt. She comforted me with her words of experience and a hug. When the girls circled up to pray before bed I told them why I was crying. The staff in the dorm told me I had a moment of clarity, maybe even an epiphany.
Before that moment I had always felt entitled to the things I have such as a bed, food and my education. I never was grateful for the things that my parents and God gave me. Now, I can look back on this experience and finally be grateful that this had happened and when I brush my hair I can think of my mother and how much she loves me and I’m glad I figured this out sooner than later.
New Meditation Class
