When the going gets tough

the tough get going. Not always though.

In my line of work - helping long term unemployed people - I hear the most tragic of stories. "Things" happen in life that send them into a downward spiral and they have to claw their way back - and often can't without a lot of help.

In the last week I've worked with a lady whose son was "wild" and the government agency took him away. In the end he was returned to his parents - and they are decent hard working folk - after he learned that home was better than he'd painted it. Being without a caring family - and living in care showed him how lucky he really was. Meantime his parents had to suffer the pain of losing a son in this way, the embarrassment and indignity of having him taken away, and they spiralled out of control. Happily their life is returning to some sort of normality but they don't think they will every really get over it all. Time will tell.

A young man came to see me - a 17 year old alcoholic with ADD, etc. His homelife with a drug addicted mother, who was totally dysfunctional has obviously played havoc in his life. He's now with his grandmother who is intolerant of his young teenage ways, and can't understand why he doesn't do "something" and hounds him. Fortunately we can help him -but in the end it is up to him. He is a clever young man in reality - but needs support and encourgement.

Another family dogged by pain following a terrible accident - the mother being in and out of hospital - came to my notice. The daughter - 21 years of age - had borrowed thousands to buy a new car, and shortly after was in an accident. She had been drinking and was charged with several offences. Now she is paying off a car, she doesn't have - it's at the wreckers and not repairable. Her own fault - I hope she learns her lesson.

I sometimes find I am in a world that I don't like. So much sadness. But out of these bad lives - some people go on to achieve great things.