“The hard part was the anger and frustration I experienced when the school district completely let my child down. I was totally out of my depth. So I reached out for help, something that’s not easy for me, and this amazing woman came into my life. She taught me how to write strategically worded letters, how to navigate the system, and how to think out of the box when it comes to education. Because of her, I became a successful advocate for my child and a stronger person in the process.” —Zena F. “Unbeknownst to me, he’d had a very hard time for the first year in Amsterdam. It got pretty dark and suicidal thoughts entered the equation. Thankfully, he knew when it was time to get help. He found a mentor in Amsterdam who introduced him to Buddhism and mindfulness meditation. That led to him seeking other mentors and teachers who could deepen his practice. “To me, anything that sparked such a positive change was worth exploring so I began meditating and exploring Buddhism myself. Like Chris, I sought out teachers (this time in Los Angeles) who could show me how to navigate life’s difficult parts. “Two quotes I learned from these mentors encapsulate what I get from it. The first was “by putting up with little cares, I learn to deal with great adversity.” Put another way: By training myself daily to not scratch my nose in meditation, I learn that I don’t have to react to the biggest emotional swings I’ll encounter in my life. Another quote hits this same theme: “Every time you think you can’t take it anymore, you’re actually in the middle of taking it.” The most unpleasant experiences in our lives are actually the moments when we show our greatest strength. To this day, whenever I “can’t take it anymore,” I try to remember that I am currently taking it.” —Eddie S.
“I’ll always remember that and how they took a chance on me. They really took me under their wing and helped me develop in my career and build my confidence. Fast-forward and I’ve been happily employed at the same company for almost nine years, and it’s all because of them. I hope I can be a mentor like that to someone one day!” —Chloe R. —Sam C. —Margot N.
