Dear Teach: Challenges Through the Eyes of Children

Hi Boys and Girls,

You know, most of us would surely agree that life is challenging in many familiar ways. Some challenges kids face are school related, or deal with family, or friends, or maybe center around health issues, but fortunately, most of us have probably not dealt with challenges of such a serious magnitude [and yes, of course there is always the exception].

In three different accounts I share, consider:  a character in a book whose life is loosely based on a real place with real struggles, another is based on a real life person who became a spokesman/child for enslaved children, and last, an everyday 21st century child who wanted to make a difference.

First, Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt is a  story that takes place both on the island of Magala, off the coast of Maine and in a small nearby town where all the shutters are painted green. The year is 1912, and Turner Buckminister has moved to the town of Phippsburg with his family, and his minister father to discover the town isn't your everyday community, but one in which "people point and laugh at one another, where Turner's mistakes are known to the whole town, where you are told what it thinks and what it wants you to think."

Turner has a tough time fitting in until he meets Lizzie, a smart lively girl who lives in a settlement established by former slaves on Magala Island. The story deals with racial issues that tug at the human spirit.

If you want to laugh, to think deeply, and have a good cry then this book is for you.

Karen Cushman, author of The Midwife's Apprentice, wrote an eloquent afterword for this book, and one thing is certain, Gary Schmidt truly deserved the Newbery Honor Award for his book.

And though the characters' names are fictitious,  the story is based on fact, truthful and shameful facts of the destruction of a settlement where African Americans once lived. Today, a stigma still exists surrounding the history and events that occurred on Magala Island.

Needless to say, the story will provide you with many things to think about. There is a reoccurring universal theme here, one that seems to plague humanity-the inability to LOVE and to forgive.

Second, is the story based on the life of a boy, Iqbal Masih, born in Pakistan in 1983, who became enslaved as a four year old in order to pay off a family debt, "In 1986, Iqbal's older brother was to be married and the family needed money to pay for a celebration. For a very poor family in Pakistan, the only way to borrow money is to ask a local employer. These employers specialize in this kind of barter, where the employer loans a family money in exchange for the bonded labor of a small child."

His story is a difficult one, yet not so new. Under harsh conditions, Iqbal spent 6 years of his life working for a carpet maker in Pakistan toiling 6 days a week, 14 hours a day along with many other young children. At the age of ten he was finally freed and fought against bonded child labor.

Note the Kite, a symbol 

Story based on Iqbal Masih by
Francesco D'Adamo 

Iqbal Masih, age 12 [1983-1995]

The ending to both these stories is both heart wrenching and poignant, mostly because they are either true as in Iqbal's plight which ends in his death, and that of Lizzie's. Though she may have been a fictitious character, the story still capitalizes on the issues of bias crimes of hate.

So, what can you do?

Well, if after reading this material you are driven to continue your own research, then do so. Find out all you can about the places, the people, the causes, the circumstances, the end result, and then know, there really is only one thing left to do, and that is to be grateful for all the good you do have.

To understand that suffering is brought on by people and that it can also end by people.

Hate begets hate MLK; and the only way to remove it is to love, yes, as much of a cliche that it is, it is still the only hope humanity has: forgive, and forgive with all your might.

Further, it is never fair to say,"Well this group suffered more, than let's say, that group," because whether it involves one person who is bullied, or a group of people who are discriminated against, there is still suffering.

Suffering is suffering.

And if there is a purpose for it, then it surely must be to bring one to a higher realization that life is indeed good and one must strive to embrace all that is good: AT ALL COSTS.

So, instead choose to be kind toward everyone who is within your sphere. In turn, each of those people will be kind to people in their sphere, and soon believe it or not, we will have what I like to call, "a global halo effect."

Imagine what that would look like...can you imagine it even for a few seconds?

It is possible.

Now, take a look at the third account and how this child managed to turn his own personal family struggle into a positive spin.

Akash Viswanath Mehts, age 10 writes an article for Stone Soup, July 2009, "Love--A Cursed Blessing."

He states, " 'First of all, you must know that my story is not unique. It's merely the same tale as millions, maybe even billions of human beings; a few thousand hearts broken every day the same way as my life was shattered. Shattered but able to be put back together, piece by piece... But I take it the other way. I say the opposite; for every bad thing a good thing appears.' "

Akash recounts in six chapters when he was 6 years old the story of his parent's divorce, the personal struggle, and the new found joys of embracing a different life.

" ' I realized it was my mother's home and not my father's. At first I thought it was a joke. Then I wept, and then we all slept in the same bed, crying throughout the night.' "

July 2009, Stone Soup

Author, Akash Viswanath Mehta, age 10

After reading his story, I was curious to find the title of the book he mentioned his father had finally published. Though I was unable to locate it, instead I found the following clip where Akash is seen participating in a controversial situation involving Dow Chemical.

Here's the clip:

What are your thoughts on this?

And though, I have shared some sobering accounts, one ideal is certain, and it is in Einstein's response to a question once posed: Is the universe a friendly one?

To which he replied, "Yes, it is a very friendly Universe."

Therefore, above all else kids, keep that ideal in mind.

Happy reading and thinking kids.

The Teach

PS. Dear Einstein, Do scientists pray?