Our classes are made up of a broad range of kids. We have kids on the autism spectrum, kids that say they have no friends, kids that are considered “popular,” and kids that are varsity athletes. When we began our time with them, specific groups of kids would cluster at tables together. On our seventh week together, we were covering the Universal Principal “Compassion.”
During the “If You Really Knew Me…” activity, the kids were asked to anonymously write a statement about what they wish people really knew about them. They were given the opportunity to raise their hands when their statement was read aloud by a mentor. Everyone in the room was stunned that most of the statements were being claimed. One student wrote, “If you really knew me, you would know that I hate myself and struggle with depression.”
One of our most eloquent, thoughtful students slowly raised his hand. Another student wrote, “If you really knew me, you would know that I’m just an angry, sad person who hates people and myself and I am scared of death.” An intimidating looking teen raised his hand. After this session, the dynamic of our class changed. There were no longer different groups of kids, there was just one group of kids. They all seemed to realize that they were all struggling, that they were not alone, and that they could have compassion for one another. We since watched kids that wouldn’t usually reach out to a specific kid, do just that.
