Never will I...

Many people will go their whole lives never wanting for the basics. They'll take the simple things in life for granted. Never will I.

Never will I take meals for granted, because I can remember many days there were no meals. I can remember begging for food, stealing food and just being hungry all the time. Never will I flip on a light switch without remembering the days in Astoria, NY. We were in the dark. When I put on my shoes in the morning, Never will I forget the time other people's shoes were the best ones I had.

I didn't care about hand-me-downs back then. My shoes served a purpose, as well as my clothes and meals. Staying alive and warm was good enough for me.

All that suffering took hiatus when we were in the academy's boundaries. We woke up, washed up and like clockwork, food was served to us. Sure, we complained about the food, like we were picky. But, I can't remember a kid who went without eating any of those days. Deep inside, we all knew we finally had it good.

It's easy to forget how much the school did for us. Sometimes, when I get uppity, when I mistreat people, when I throw out food, I remember the time all these things were necessities, not luxuries.

When you're with the people you love, tell them how you feel every day. More than once. Life is fast and, many times, unfair. If you miss a day, it may be the day they are taken away from you.

We didn't decide to go to the academy. We were put there.

I saw my mother a couple of weeks before I got dropped off late September of '84. I didn't know I wouldn't see her again for more than a year. Sure, I was only eight years old, but my heart ached for her dearly. She was the only person I needed to hold me every day. Even though we had it rough at home, she told me she loved me every night. Sometimes, that's more nourishing than food.

My brothers and sisters in the academy took my mother's place. They didn't exactly tell me every day: "Manny I love you," but I knew it.

Moreover, selfless people like Mr. Ted, Ms. Electra, Ms. Hellas, and the hundreds of volunteers at the school told us we could do whatever we wanted with our lives. Many of us believed it because they believed it when they said it.

So next time you argue over money or material things, remember, those things disappear quickly. People who love you won't.