RE: Growing Up in Foster Care.......... And How it Effects Your Relationships.
I never you knew you went through so much Mark. I'm really sorry for what happened to you. Emotionally and physically. I do have an opposing opinion though. I do hope you don't get me wrong for it, but i think it wasn't that bad, or should I say as bad as other horrible things that happen to people on a daily basis. I really haven't been to foster care before, however just think about it from this prespective. There are so many starving kids in Africa that would kill to be in a foster house like yours even if they would get abused. Millions of people in the world are homeless and sick, yet you weren't and you had a bed to sleep in at cold night. What i'm trying to say is whatever happened to you is detrimental, but at the same time if you think that there people having it worse, then you start to cheer up a bit. I hope you understand my point of view. I don't mean any offense and I have huge respect for you sharing your painful moments with us. Peace and love from Egypt. :)
Edit: BTW, the part were I said you weren't homeless, I meant when you were in foster-care not on the streets. Still people in Africa would seriously pay to be homeless in a European country.
I was homeless on the streets at 15, because it was better than being in care, the abuse that happens in foster care is usually much worse than being on the streets. Kids here get trafficed for sex, and many end up dead or go missing.
What I went through, and every single person I know who's ever been in foster went through you would not wish on your worst enemy, whatever country you grew up in.
It's interesting that there is this general belief that what happens in other countries doesn't happen in western countries. The west has successfully painted a picture of freedom, wealth and abundance, whilest hiding the corruption underneath.
Yes, we like our Potemkin villages here. We like to clean up our streets by criminalizing homelessness. They are pushed into sewer tunnels! My city keeps spending more on law enforcememt to control the behavior of homeless folks, rather than setting up a dignified shelter, rehab, etc. And neighboring towns view San Bernardino as their human trashcan, and bus their homeless to us. The LA Times did a huge series on how low San Bernardino has sunk, with runaway teens trapped in prostitution on Baseline Ave. It is overwhelming trying to find solutions in one city here, and it is a globalism-caused problem! I am working on growing more food to have surplus to give away.
The more I learn the more I see that the objective is to widen that divide between the rich and poor. I hope you can make a bit of difference with excess food.
I'm very sorry about what happened to you and yes you're right, I wouldn't wish homelessness, sickness, abuse, drug addiction on my worst enemy, but please remember that it could have been a lot worse. I apologize if I accidentally offended you.That was not the intent of the comment. I was simply trying to make you feel better about your past that is all. I never went to foster care so I wouldn't know what that feels like and you're right about the country thing. I should have been less ignorant in my comment. :)
You have overcome ignorance, now you are wise to the fact that North America has a miserable underbelly. Worldwide, the powers that shouldnt be spit on regular people. I hope we can unite and build new compassionate societies, like what we are trying to do here on Steemit. I am very glad to meet you and discuss this with you on here, it is amazing and inspiring to share how life is across the world!
Also Mark being Foster care in America or in any European country is a whole lot better than here in Egypt. They at one point caught people stealing kids for sex trafficking as well as human body part trafficking. I'm happy you weren't ever exposed to that. At least I hope so...
I beg your pardon, but he did just tell you foster kids get sex trafficked and killed. Why is it so important to win the International Trauma Olympics? Human suffering is common coin.
At this moment, I am thinking of the local homeless I see every day here in San Bernardino, California. We all must get creative about how to help the people we interact with in our lives.
What compassionate contribution can be offered here, now, to Mark for sharing his ordeal?
I want to thank him for being a survivor and working to change the system he knows hurts people.
I'm sorry. i made a very stupid unthoughtful comment. it's very dumb and not really true. I was trying to make mark feel better about his past but I clearly fucked up
It's OK, I am not mad at you. It's not your fault, we tend to generalize and stereotype other countries, cultures and beliefs. It's normal.
Actually, that's the whole point about writing these, so that even people in Egypt get to see what really goes on in the 'free'-West
Peace.
I don't want you to feel dumb or like you fucked up. I am sure you, too, witness human suffering and have many important things to share. And I can see that your intention was maybe to cheer up by thinking of someone worse off. That is a technique that does work on folks that get stuck in despair. Big hugs for you and an upvote.
Well I did and do see loads of people suffer on a daily basis. I wouldn't really say I have super important things to share. I'm kinda worthless to be honest, and most of my experiences were emotional scars that wouldn't compare anywhere near close to Marks story. They might even sound kiddish to the anyone (if any) who reads or knows about them. I don't really need pity from people or anything. I'm just saying the truth that's all.
I don't think you are worthless at all. Pity is annoying, isn't it? I have also led a relatively privileged life, yet I still think my mild bouts of suffering are useful for opening my heart. I wrote about it here https://steemit.com/compassion/@creationofcare/the-universal-pipeline-of-compassion . I wish you all the best and i will check out your blog.