St. John the Baptist of New Brighton


	To: All Our Young Parishioners From: Your Pastor (F.B.) RE: About Leaving Home and Learning to Stand On Your Own Two Feet You grew up with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Schroeder, Linus, and Snoopy... the Peanuts Gang. Hopefully, you learned a lesson or two about life from reading the comics or watching one of their specials on TV. Here is one of my favorite Peanuts comic strips: Charlie Brown is leaning against a tree talking to Lucy. She asks, "What do you think security is, Charlie Brown?" Charlie answers, "Security is sleeping in the back seat of a car when you are a little kid, and you've been somewhere with your mom and dad, and it's night. You don't have to worry about anything. Your mom and dad are doing all the worrying. They take care of everything." Lucy smiles and says, "That's real neat." Charlie Brown, who never seems to know when to stop, gets a serious look on his face and says, "But it doesn't last. Suddenly you're grown up and it can never be that way again. Never!" Lucy gets a frightened look on her face and asks, "Never?" And Charlie Brown replies, "Never." As they stand there, sensing the terrible loneliness, Lucy reaches over and says, "Hold my hand, Charlie Brown." Sooner or later, the vast majority of people leave home for a reason: college or a technical/trade school; the military; a job and a place of their own. Leaving the security of home can be scary. You might feel lonely and "homesick." It will be a big change for you and your friends. You'll have more freedom, but also more responsibility to be your true self, your best self. You are changing and becoming an independent adult, finding your own way and new friends. But you will always be a member of your family... remember your roots as you sprout your own wings. It's no longer high school. You will have some "low days" and "low times." We all do. In the midst of your loneliness, remember a lot of people "back home" love you and care about you. If you are "hurting," call home, call a friend, talk to someone. Please, don't hurt yourself. The low times will pass. It's okay to ask for help. A good way to help yourself is by volunteering at a center for the elderly or for children. The young and the old will love you and lift your spirits. You don't have to be afraid. Most of what we fear is from our own imagination and almost never happens. The best way to live your life is to count your blessings every day. At the end of the day, count three things you are grateful for... if you can't find three, find two, and if you can't find two, find one. Sometimes our problems are really a blessing in disguise. The Great Commandment, according to Jesus, is to love God, and others as we love ourselves. Love yourself in a healthy way. God believes in you... believe in yourself. The best way to love and serve God is to be fully alive.


	Exercise your body and your mind. The world is not always fair. Each one of us is dealt a hand of cards that we have to learn how to play. If you are dealt a "lousy" hand of cards, you can still win. Don't give up! Don't be afraid of life, of tomorrow. Learn to put one foot in front of the other one and keep going... just like you did when you learned how to walk many years ago. You took a few spills and tumbles, but you eventually got up and kept learning to walk. Now it's time to stand up for yourself and for what you believe in. If someone is mean to you, walk away from that person. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect. Stay close to people who have a gentle spirit and who love you for you. Meet new friends and spend time with them... don't spend all your time alone. Human beings do their best when they are with other human beings. Laughter is good medicine for what ails you. E-mail your old friends and parents. All of us get one life to live. Don't take your life for granted. All of us are more alike than different. If you're feeling "homesick," most likely the majority of your new acquaintances are feeling the same thing. Walk around your new surroundings and take it all in. You can find beauty wherever you are. Sometimes people will do stupid things. Make a list of the pluses and minuses before you make big decisions. Keep your eyes and ears open. All of us are constantly learning... your parents and grandparents... all of us! All of us! All of us make mistakes, but we have the freedom to learn from our mistakes and start all over. Perseverance, persistence, and faithfulness are rarely talked about these days. Most people want instant results to anything they try. It probably took your grandparents a few decades to afford their first home. But, they didn't give up. Neither should you when you face obstacles. Don't give up too quickly. It takes time to do great things... it takes time to live a full life. All of us are on a journey called life. Don't quit when it's painful or difficult. We never know what's around the next corner or curve. All of life is a classroom... we're always learning. Most of us are very ordinary people -- always learning. If you can learn that in the next few years, then you will have learned a great deal. The most important learning and living take place inside us... in our spirit... in our soul. Once the soul leaves the body, the body is lifeless, a corpse. Feed your soul/spirit and you will be alive... forever. Peace! You will be at peace if you do God's will for you. You'll have an inner peace and calm that no one can take from you. Don't give up. Life is a wonderful journey that often calls us to step out of our "comfort zone." Trust your God everyday, with all of life's highs and lows. And remember, you are loved and cared about by a lot of ordinary, simple people in the 55112 zip code.