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My Time for Growth
April 29, 2011
By: Mary McGuigan
My Time for Growth
A Genesis Home Graduate Profile
I came to Genesis Home in 1994. I remember calling a hotline from a payphone, trying to find a place for my three children and me to stay after leaving an impossible situation. We left our home with just our clothing after I discovered that my children’s father had staged a robbery in the apartment we shared to steal the rent money for his drug habit. This wasn’t the first time the rent hadn’t been paid or the lights and water had been turned off because of theft for his habit. This time I knew I had to find a safe place where my kids would never be exposed to drugs or danger again. I had a steady income, but when your savings are stolen you can never make it up. I had a job, I had my children, I was 22 years old, and it was time to go. My grandmother had warned me, “You will outgrow him,” and I did. I had responsibilities, and I left and moved on as an adult, knowing that chapter of my life was over.
I had always been independent and had to take care of myself. Coming out of the foster care system, I had been used to making my own way, so it was an adjustment to live at Genesis Home under the direction of case management staff. It was a time for me to swallow my pride, be in a transitional setting, look at my own life and the lives of other resident families, and make the decision to never be in this situation again. I didn’t see myself as a victim; I saw it as my time for growth. I could have let life knock me down, but I used this time as a stepping stone. I only stayed for three months, and that was the time I needed to regain my confidence and motivation. This wasn’t just a home or a safe refuge; this was place to help me figure out where I was going. Working with the staff, we found a safe apartment to go to, organized the child care vouchers, and put a financial plan in place to help me manage my budget.
I wanted a career even though I have always had good jobs. I have known since I was twelve years old that one day I would be an attorney. Step by step I am getting there. I work full time as Office Coordinator in Greensboro and take four courses in criminal justice (at night and on weekends) as a distance student at North Carolina Central University. Once I graduate, it is on to law school. This all started with a decision to get past all the obstacles and make a better life for my family. I had to get my G.E.D. first, and then worked my way through Vance Granville Community College. My five children, ages 5-19, and I all live together in Durham. There have been times when we were “dog-poor,” but the children have always been safe, and I don’t ever want them to see a time of not being able to pay their rent or having the power turned off.
As part of the internship with my N.C.C. U. criminal justice classes, I volunteer at Genesis Home two evenings a week. As I get to know the residents better, and they learn that I was once a resident here, I hope I can be an example to them that Genesis Home can be their stepping stone as well. There is so much more to life than just struggling to get by. My philosophy is that whatever you do in life comes back in full circle, so do it to your best ability and always make extra strides to make it better. Everything we do affects our future and that of our children. When we make mistakes, we have to shake them off, learn from them and grow. Take everything you have learned and adjust it to make your life even better.
Stacey Moser
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