Your story is powerful
Joy Attmore,
6th Nov 2018
Tags:
Life
Blog
Challenges
Crime
Death
Dreams
Redemption
I was catching up on my UK news this morning when a headline stood out to me in the Stories section of the BBC website. It read: ‘Knife crime: What happened to Michael?’
I clicked on it and was soon immersed in the tragic story of Michael Jonas Jnr told by his younger brother, Jhemar.
In November 2017, Michael was stabbed to death in Betts Park, Penge, in south London at the age of 17. Nobody has been convicted of his murder, and a year on the family are still seeking justice.
Living without fear for his physical safety is a luxury for him.
My heart broke as I read of the daily realities for Jhemar and others his age. Living without fear for his physical safety is a luxury for him when it should be a basic human right.
“I'm only 16, but I know someone who has had a gun held to their head. I know of someone who was kidnapped. I know about a guy who was stabbed 23 times because of where he lived. Every day when I leave my front door, I think about how I might not make it home.”
Maybe these words resonate with you. Maybe this is your story too.
Maybe you have had to learn about death and loss far sooner than you should have.
Maybe you have had to learn about death and loss far sooner than you should have.
If so, I am so sorry. It should never have been this way. Fear is not your portion and injustice should never have the last word.
I was struck by Jhemar’s boldness in telling his family’s story and in how he has chosen to respond. He now mentors other young people and is determined to use his life for good and the betterment of those around him.
"I dream big and believe great things are possible. That's my secret.”
There is power is owning our own story. It becomes an entry point for others to own their’s and releases them into greater freedom.
We are all storytellers, but it’s up to us what stories we tell.
We can craft something beautiful out of the ashes of our circumstances.
Messed up things happen in life and it can leave us reeling, unsure of how to respond with anything other than bitterness or pain, but we can also craft something beautiful out of the ashes of our circumstances.
That doesn’t mean denying whatever injustices we may have experienced, but it looks like choosing to rise above them and turn them into something good.
News reports and social studies are only too happy to tell us of all the problems our society is now facing, but what about the beauty? What about flooding our news feeds and timelines with stories of love and connection, courageous exploits and stunning justice?
"Jhemar is one of these people - despite everything, he remains positive about his future, and determined to contribute to his community and wider society. Usually the focus is on violent crimes, perpetrators and direct victims, rather than the perspectives of those who rise above the trappings of inner-city life.” - Ciaran Thapar, Jhemar’s mentor
Your story is powerful and has the potential to impact the world around you.
Your story is powerful and has the potential to impact the world around you.
It can be tempting to want to delete parts of it, bury them in the fog of the past and pretend those things never happened, but I pray you find the courage to own them, because in doing so I believe you will help change the world around you!
