Open Seat: A Holy Family Podcast

A Heart Full of Helping

• Holy Family Adrian • Season 1 • Episode 10

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In this episode of Open Seat, our guest, Lily Vazquez shares her inspiring journey of rediscovering faith and reconnecting with family after an abusive relationship and the loss of her father. From her upbringing in Adrian, Michigan, to her college experiences at Eastern Michigan University, Lily discusses the importance of community, her passion for helping others, and her work with the Latinx Student Association and non-profits. Join us as we delve into Lily's story of resilience, emotional growth, and unwavering faith that continues to guide her efforts in making a positive impact in those around her. 

Ask your Question for the upcoming Q&A Episode: https://holyfamilyadrian.org/podcast

00:00 Introduction and Personal Journey

00:34 Welcome, Lily!

01:05 Who is Lily Vazquez?

01:20 Lily's Background and Family

01:45 College Life and Community Involvement

03:08 The Latinx Student Association

09:06 Sorority Life and Community Service

11:31 First Job Experience

13:01 Family and Faith During Hard Times

20:35 Personal Struggles and Faith

21:09 Overcoming Misdiagnosis and Embracing Life

21:45 Authenticity and Individuality

23:57 Working with Kids with Disabilities

27:35 Promoting Independence and Self-Sufficiency

31:16 Future Goals and Non-Profit Aspirations

31:51 Supporting Immigrant Communities

35:15 Family and Personal Stories

37:52 Addressing Mental Health and Homelessness

40:35 Making a Difference in Your Community

43:08 Final Thoughts and Thanks

If you would like to submit a Question for an upcoming episode of the HOT SEAT, go to: https://holyfamilyadrian.org/podcast
or email us. 

This is a podcast of Holy Family Parish, located in Adrian MI. We are a Catholic people, not a place, striving to Live Jesus through celebrating the sacraments and forming disciples in Adrian and beyond.

www.HolyFamilyAdrian.org
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Open Seat es un podcast Parroquia de la Sagrada Familia ubicada en Adrian, Michigan. Somos un pueblo católico, no un lugar, que se esfuerza por vivir a Jesús celebrando los sacramentos y formando discípulos en Adrian y más allá.

As horrible as it was that my dad got sick and he died, it was something that I needed to draw me back to God, to draw me back home, and to draw me back to my family because those three things have made me who I am and I felt I was looking in the mirror and I didn't recognize who I was. I couldn't see my faith. It was hard to be positive. There was no doubt in any of their minds that they would be there for me.. Welcome to Open Seat, the podcast where we create a space for authentic conversations about faith, unfiltered, and unapologetic. Here, we believe that every story matters. Whether you're questioning, seeking, or steadfast in your beliefs, you'll find something relatable in these heartfelt discussions. So grab your seat, get comfortable, and let's dive into today's story here at Open Seat. So today on the Open Seat, we have Lily Vasquez. Thanks for joining us. Thank you for having me. Oh, no, it's our pleasure. Yes it is. You're right. So this is going to be a good one today, people. So let's talk a little bit about you. Tell us about you. Well, I'm 24 years young. I grew up in Adrian. I'm from Adrian. Both of my parents are from Mexico and they migrated here, in their late teens early twenties, and they pretty much started their life here in Adrian, Michigan and I grew up. And I lived here majority of my life. I went to college in Ypsi to Eastern Michigan so I spent four working on my undergrad. And then I moved back home when my dad got sick. And I started a Master's program right after he passed. And I'm almost done with that. Thank you, God. Definitely very hard, with the grieving. But I definitely wanted to keep me focused on my future. Because sometimes when we lose a loved one, a lot of reality sort of shifts for us and I wanted to make sure I didn't completely lose focus of my end goal and that was something my dad taught me about planning and having a plan and just working towards a plan and making sure that we have goals. And then my mom has just been supportive the whole way through and gives me her advice, her opinions, which are much appreciated. Even though I don't sound welcoming to them all the time. But, I appreciate it. So you are the daughter of Felipe and Rocio Vazquez I'm their baby. clarify. But we're going to invite people to get to know you, and not just, the daughter that you've always been. Because even at 24 years young, Lily, you've done a lot of things. So, let's dig into some of that. So, while you were at Eastern, you were working at the Health Department in Ann Abor, right? Actually, I'll backtrack to my freshman year of college. I wanted to find a new sense of community away from home because it was my first time. moving out of my house, living alone, just with a bunch of people my age, no structure? Are you kidding me? It's a dream until you have to live it, right? Uh, yeah, and then, boom comes bills. I was like, this is not fun at all. But, yeah, so I went to environment and I was looking for a community. So, I joined the Latinx Student Association. that was something that was brought up to me by one sisters friends that she went to Eastern and she told me about it and said that was a good place for me to start, making friends I went to their first meeting of the semester, I let them know that I'm very interested in participating, being an active member, not just coming to the meetings and showing up, which we know that that's helpful, having people show up to our meetings. We'd love to see the bodies there. But. Could you do something? And so I wanted to do something. And that's just how I am. I'm very much, a go getter. And in a new place, my go to thing is next project. What am I going to work on here? Because I just like to keep myself busy. Well, lots of gifts and talents. So you use them freely. Oh, yeah. Helping people is definitely one of my biggest passions. I think I was put on this earth to help other people. As much as maybe growing up I didn't see it that way as doing all these acts of service and just, being kind to others as being helpful, I thought that was just like, oh, well, that's just how I am. But my mom is also very loving, kind, and she's just, a great role model When it comes to how to treat other people with respect and as humans I actually have two of your mother's quotes on my board in my office Well, the first one is, help without being asked for help is no help. Which is a struggle, right, because people who like to do things, they want to always help and sometimes their help is appreciated, and sometimes it actually takes away from. So she, she said that quote one time and then she said, I can see God in all the small things. And that was really powerful for me too. So, Saint Rocio is on my board remind me of those two things that are very important in my life. So then what was your project with the Latinx community? So, being an active member, right? And then when I came on board, they were about to start hosting their elections for their e-board, so their executive board. And I was like, perfect! sign me up! And the vice president position was available and nobody was wanting to go for that one. Well, because have to do all the work. You have to do all the work. If the president is there, you have to run the meetings. You have to be accountable for the office hours because we get a rented at the university student center and you have to put so many hours in in order for your org to keep that space. And if all the other executive board members can't, you have to be there. You know, so it's just like you fill-in.. All the work none the credit. Well, I'm used to that. Let's, let's go for that. Because in High school, side note, we started, a couple of my, friends and I, we started the Latinx Club at Adrian High School. I did most of the work. And my friend, he took the President position and and I was like, okay, you can be the face, but I'm definitely brains of this operation. You got face and the person who does all the work. Yeah, you're right. That's great definition right there. So, that's why I was like, you know what, it's fine. I've already done something like this. Let me just go for it. And during that time, I had some other personal things that had happened to me that just really set me back emotionally, spiritually and Academically even for a second, and being a part of that student org sort of brought me out of that really negative and dark place that I was in, and I am very grateful for all the friendships that I created in that student org, and just sort of the, the new community that I found and that I was longing for away from home because I wanted to go to school far away, but not too far that it wasn't a drag to drive home Because I knew that I still wanted to come home to visit but I didn't want to be a five minute drive from my Mom So she couldn't like, I'm like pop up on me. Yeah. She she she does not do that. No, of course not. She'll call first. She'll give me time to collect my thoghts. I'm in the parking Lily. Hey, I came to pick you for church. Are you Ready? After I had the time of my life the night before and I was not expecting her that one was a fun time and she definitely knew. To call. She definitely knew she was taking me to church that morning. Something in her told her that she was going to go take me to church. Something. Someone. Yeah, Yeah. That's generally how those go. Yeah. Always. Always. So the Latinx community was where you found community. Then we move on to what's the next step? So, after the latinx, I sort of created my own community there. Established more friendships, and then I was interested in joining a sorority. There's lots of different sororities, and I wanted to join a multicultural one. It is a Latina based sorority, but a multicultural organization. So that means anybody from ethnic background could join this said sorority. And now with a lot of the changes in the legislature, we have, opened up to accepting, trans women as well in the organization. And that was something that was a big debate. Even opening it to become multicultural, some of the founders wanted to keep it Latina only. So our organization has grown a lot since, it started in 1990 which is very young. It's one of the youngest. actually, multicultural sororities and I started it. So I brought it back to my school. So they had completely died out is the term at our school. So myself and a couple other girls, we wanted to bring it, back. Again, I was doing a lot the heavy work. I was doing a majority of the lifting and a lot of the pushing in the beginning because some of the friends that I made when I first got to college, they were from that sorority and I just felt a different connection with that and then their philanthropy and doing all the community service. Community service has always been important to me. I've done it every since I was a little kid without knowing it was community I I was you know. It's just a way of life. Yeah, I mean my parents helped everybody and anybody who needed help. So I just thought people were like that. Yes. Still. And so that just sort of poured out into us, their children and my sisters are also the same way. They might not have the The kind faces that that don't seem too welcoming But their hearts are definitely there. Oh, yes. Every one of you have a heart bigger than this world. You can count on us. For real. And I think that's a really important trait as well, and having friends that also you can count on. So, building those relationships and those friendships with the Latinx club and then with the sorority, and then I found myself working my first big girl job at the Washtenaw County Health Department, for another non profit located inside the health department. So, we were hired through the County but I was part non profit called the Health Care Project now. I was a part of that renamed us. The project part was me. It used be called the health care plan. But we had a health care plan that was called that so it was just very confusing. And it was just time for a rename. And it was really nice I think that was my very first positive working environment. Not that my other jobs weren't they weren't the worst. I didn't have a boss that was super rude and just like the worst experience. no. But it was more so that everybody was so uplifting and positive. And when I started, everyone just offered their assistance and basically they let me know that if I had any questions, anything, they were all available to me. And They were just like, if you don't see that I'm busy, and even if I am busy, just ask me and then I'll get back to you. So, that was a really great first big girl job to get into, so then I had very high expectations of what, you know, the adult workplace should be like and feel like. And of course it's, that's not the reality. And I was there until I graduated with my undergrad, and then that's when my dad got sick. The month before my graduation was when his health was really declining. After he passed I was also in a very toxic relationship during that time. It kept me away, from God and my and horrible as horrible as it was that my dad got sick and he died, it was sort of something that I needed to draw me back to God, draw me back home and to draw me back to my family. Because those three things have made me who I am. And I completely, I felt, I don't know, I was looking in the mirror and I didn't recognize who I was. I couldn't see my faith it was hard to be positive, and then him getting sick and sort of opening my eyes to, you're not in a good place, this person doesn't care about you, and they're just hurting you, and it's time to, go. And so, my family was a very big support during that time. I very much suffered in silence that whole relationship, for those years. And then when I finally told my family of all the stuff I had endured for those years, that support really just flushed in. There was no doubt in any of their minds that they would be there for me, and it made me wish that I would have talked to them about it sooner. But I think I wouldn't be who I am today without those years of trauma, as bad that sounds. Well, no, it's true. I've talked to a lot of people and unfortunately the hardships draw us closer. Yeah, because it completely took me away and then, with my dad getting sick and it just shifted my perspective into like, okay, what's actually really important to me? My family. and spending as much time as I can my dad before he leaves this earth is more important to me and I was able to spend and take care of him his last two months. And I know that was like a big help with my mom, but also it was kind of like for me for not being here for those three years, Time with him and too, I guess, I also beat myself up sometimes thinking that like, if I would have noticed. him and his own struggles maybe I could have encouraged him to get, medical attention much sooner or whatever. Maybe I could have made a difference, right? But at the end of the day, I know it's God's plan and I have no control over I have no control over my own life. I have free will. Um, Thanks God, God my free will. The curse that keeps on giving, free will. Yeah. But at the end of the day he sets out this plan for our life and we just sort of need to accept it and live through it and learn from it. The biggest thing is just from all of our lessons that we're given. Because some people to think God, like, gave us these things, made it happen. And I don't see it like that. I sort of see it as, good and evil are always fighting over, winning us over, and the evil is doing all the bad things, popping up, the people who are jealous in your life, just things going bad one right after another, another, making you want to give up, pushing you to give up, because at the end, that's what's upset, and then resent, and then just stray from God. And so God lets those things play out in order for us to practice our free will that He gave us and it's up to us to really make those better decisions even though it's really hard. And especially if we don't have either a role model in faith or even practice in our faith or even have beliefs. It's really hard to lead our life that direction. And is very true, by the way. You're welcome to come teach Religious ed whenever you'd like to, Lily, because that was beautiful, but, I think we always want to kick ourselves for the times when we've done something, and the beautiful thing about God is we can walk as far away as we want, but God will always be there to receive us right? It's the prodigal son. And it is very true in your case, and everyone's I've ever heard, including my own, that I walk really far sometimes. but always am welcomed back. And so that is exactly what happened to you. So after you made right with a lot of things, and you left the health department, the project, what happened next? Well, before my dad passed and I moved back home, so it was the time period where he was sick and it was a lot of praying and hoping seeing if there was a way that he could be left here, but that wasn't in the plan. But during that time I was getting close to God again because I had spent three years completely parting myself. So, in that few months I had built up a really strong relationship with God again and I just I felt lighter spiritually I felt happier and a lot of the things that I guess were worrying me I no longer held onto them. When they say you pray and you are giving those up to God like Let them keep it. Don't take them back. And I was fighting with myself to take a lot of those, negative thoughts back or even those feelings back when they no longer belong to me and that was my, biggest lesson for myself was just anymore, and we're working on healing and building back Up our relationship and even making it better than it was before, because obviously I grew up going to church, it was just a part of my life, and then having step away for that time, growing up and becoming an adult, And then coming back to the church and seeing God in different eyes, also was a big change for me. I usually refer to it as claiming your faith. Right? Everybody has to have that moment in their life where their faith actually holds to them and not because everybody told us that's what we're supposed to do. At our baptism, our parents choose for us to be Catholic. Confirmation, we quasi choose for us to be Catholic. But there there has to be that point where you say, This is my faith. I believe this. And usually it's like when we're doing our confirmation. That's when we're saying, I'm doing it, this is what I choose. Yeah, that's when we say we're doing it. But I feel like like that doesn't really happen in our adolescence. It happens as we become adults. Well, as we experience something. There has to be that struggle with God for you to realize that God is really real. It's no longer about what pages in the book tell me, or what somebody else tells me to believe, but it's really what I believe. And I think I had a, I guess, an instance when I was a kid where, I was misdiagnosed, leukemia, and then it turned out to be a rare anemia, and being in the hospital, just having that be my life I was not afraid of dying at a young age .So, I think that also maybe changed some things for me, that my whole life, even though I'm very giving and loving and sort of thing, but I'm also not afraid to die, so I'm not afraid to speak my mind, Just express my true feelings, because I think that's what makes us human, and sometimes we're so worried about putting up this facade that and to be somebody who we think the other person wants us to be, which is so... Well, it's what the culture tells us, right? You have to be this and this and this. But in the reality, we are made in the image and likeness of God. Which is not to be this, this, and this, but to be who we really are. Imperfect. Yeah. Individuals. Like why can't we be individuals again? Yeah, and God made you to be you with your gifts and talents. He made me to be me with my and when we collectively work for it, then it's when it becomes better than if I just become Lily Vasquez. I can't do you well, so I'm not gonna try, but, but you're right. I mean, we all have to do what our gifts and talents provide us so that it's a better world instead of being like everybody else. I, would say Lily, I don't think you have a struggle with that. I mean, you may have, right? When you've fallen and you're just kind of living out there on your own. But, I think when you're walking with God, there's no struggle in it. Oh, definitely not. When growing up, Being with my parents, it was just like, not thought in my head. They sort of led where ever we were going on vacation. It was just like, well, I'm just here existing. That's how I feel with God. When I'm like, close, when my relationship is where it needs to be. My faith is where it needs to be. And, just, I don't even have to think. Sometimes when those negative thoughts like, doubt, right? Self doubt Pops up. I, right away, try to recognize it and dismiss it because we're not accepting that anymore. We're not taking that. I don't want those negative thoughts. I prayed for them to go away. I know this is not you putting them back in my head, so I'm rebuking them and send them back to where they came from and it's hard. It's It's easier said than done But my work that I do now, so I work with kids now, and kids with disabilities at that. So everybody learns differently. They're at different levels for different subjects. Reading, writing, even communication. Comprehension levels all, everything is different, each student and every school that I go to. But I am teaching them life skills, soft skills. Skills to help them live independently on their own one day. Because for the longest time society has not made it acceptable for people with disabilities to live within our community as just human beings. And I teach them a lot of Self care and knowing how to respond to certain situations and how our reactions are important. And looking at our problems in a bigger way as, is this just like a speed bump? Is this a detour? this a roadblock? Do you have to change your end goal? Do we have to just rewrite it? And a lot of times kids and adults that haven't been taught how to regulate their emotions go right to freaking out, screaming, yelling, hitting, and a complete roadblock every time when may as well just be a speed bump But You gotta learn how to navigate it. But you have to learn. Honestly, about 90 percent of the world should be in your class, Lily, but I believe that wholeheartedly. I think 100% everybody should be taking classes like this because it's helped me be accountable for myself. I think that it has helped me refocus, like at least 10 times already and I haven't been there a full year. If they actually did what I'm telling them, man, will they be successful by 25. Telling them, but obviously we don't work like that, so I know it's not going to happen. I just hope that one thing sticks with these kids that I have either shared with them, and even just me being empathetic and listening to when they want to share things makes a big difference. Teachers don't have all the time in the world with their curriculum, what they're allowed to teach, and then all the regulations and tests that they have to follow. So, when I go into these classrooms, I let the teachers know, I'm trying to make your life easier. I want you to choose all the topics that you will want me to work with, what you already teach, I'm just here to support you and make this a better environment for your students And just the talk of disabilities is not talked about enough and I think a lot of people don't understand what disabilities really entail, like, in it's whole because there's physical disabilities, invisible disabilities that we don't see in just tears. Doesn't your Uh, employer use DIS and then A. Yeah. So lowercase "d" and uppercase "A" for disAbility to emphasize that we're all abled in our own ways. It might not be the way that you think I'm supposed to be abled but I am able to do things with accommodations, with assistance in other ways. And that's what we really do. Our mission is to just promote, to be self sufficient and get the accommodations that they need to be successful on their own. Because a lot of people with disabilities do not want to taken care of they want to live on their own. A lot of my students, they tell me they can't wait until their parents are not their guardian anymore because they want to make decisions on their own And some of them are 24 and they still have that guardianship. But they very much could live on their own with the right supports. So my job is to let them know that we are there for support once they get out of school. We can meet one on one, create goals, work towards their independence, and then they can always call us if they need some advocacy, if they want to learn something else, we can connect them to other networks that do trainings, because we're still a small organization, but Michigan has a lot of CILs, Center for Independent Livings and so we're just like a big resource And all that, all those resources help me within my own life, and then again the students just hearing all of their stories as well because some of them have lived very hard lives. I teach at a detention center and a lot of them are in foster care or between family members, parents dead, in jail. They have been abused. Some share these things the first time them. I'm getting to know them, asking them a question on what we're talking about, and then they go and tell me something super heavy. And I have to mentally prepare myself every time I go into these classrooms because I find that happens so often and I don't want to react in a way that is going to make them think that I don't care because sometimes I just have like a delayed reaction and then I'm like, wait, what did you say? Just because I have so many thoughts going on in my head, that's just my own thing. But I'm mindful of that, and I don't want them to think that, you know I'm dismissing what they're telling me because I think it's really important to address things when they come up and not, well, let's talk about it later. That never helps. I'm I'm sad right now. Later. Let's deal with it. You know, one thing about you, Lily that I have always appreciated is, and, I mean, I've seen you through some things, right? Which has been just an absolute joy, but I think one of the things that I really respect about you is no matter who you work for, You have great passion in doing that. And I've never known you to make a lot of money, because you always work for non profits, which is the most incredible part of that, right? Because you so much passion for who you're working for. It's truly the love that you have in your heart for your job. Yeah, I am very broke. I have lots of debt from college. But, I love helping people. The money I mean, it's nice. I would like to have financial stability, you know but I think filling up my cup is helping other people. And If I'm making a bunch of money and I don't feel like I'm contributing anything to society, I'm not going to be happy. so I am very good at my budgeting. and I still take my trips. I'm going to Washington next week to visit my cousin for her birthday. And I make it work. Well, I mean, God provides, right? Yes, he does. But yeah, I think non profits, I've always had a passion for non profits and my, one of my future goals, because will wear many hats in my life it will be own my own non profit. I am still working out the details on what exactly I, because I so many wants. and beliefs that I see a very big center and I don't have money for that So we need to start small and what is our top priority? I know I want to focus on Helping the immigrants in our communities because Michigan is one of the highest providing states with our fruits and vegetables in the country and we have a large immigrant population, and I don't think that- we could be doing more to help is what I think. My dad was a migrant worker. Growing up, coming to Holy Family, I would go with my mom to the migrant ministries, and we would, you know, celebrate mass there. And we sit amongst then in the pews, too, right? We've got dairy farmers and what not coming. That, yeah. Yeah, are able to come on Sundays, they are here. They are coming. And I think that us going out and doing those sort of ministries is what brings them here in person on Sundays. That they know that if I do have a few hours on Sunday in the morning I'm going to make an effort to go to that church that made an effort to come to my home and celebrate Mass with me because, they don't get that. Yeah, their work hours are crazy. Yes. The requirements by the visas are restrictive. Yes. And they don't get healthcare. There's no mental health. Yeah, you work. There's no babysitters. Right? There's a lot of things that they need to work and provide for our country. Why aren't we providing these things for these workers that are coming to feed us? It just doesn't make sense. So, I would like to fill a gap. There are so many gaps in so many different areas, but I want to fill a gap in the immigration realm. Yeah, and, your partner in crime, who you have witnessed your faith to, and now wants to come into the faith. Your boyfriend? Yeah, boyfriend. Austin See. Oh there's no ring on it yet. No. Let the at the camera know hand is empty right now. Ha. Austin See is coming in to the church and, he is a strong advocate for non profits too. Oh yeah. He is a big people lover. That is what I like to call him. I love people, but he is a people lover. Like he's Rocio. There's so many similarities with him and my mother, it's actually wild. But he has a lot of similarities to my Dad as well. Just how very strong-headed he is, and I can appreciate that. Well, what I love is usually there's a woman behind the man. But clearly in this relationship, it's Austin behind lily. I mean, we definitely know who's wearing the pants, so to speak, in this relationship. We share pants. You know, we're the same size. I can do many of the things that he does, right? But do I want to? Probably not. Sometimes I'm like, here's the pants today, you know? You know my favorite story your dad told, is the story about when you know, the girls were younger and somebody needed help moving. And so he said, okay, no problem, I'll bring my kids. And they were like, uh, boys? And he said, no, three girls. And you destroyed that move in like no time. It was done. Yeah, during that time, Ari was a cheerleader. Shout out to Ari. She was the, the girl at the bottom, the base, that Because she didn't trust anybody else, she didn't think anybody was strong enough. Yeah, because she doesn't look like a base, Lily. I mean. She looks like a flyer, yeah, but she was just like, I'm stronger than all of you. So, it's safer for me to be the one carrying. And, which was very true, she's very strong. My oldest sister was moving to college and her and her bought a couch off somebody from an apartment complex so they had to we all went, it was my, my mom, my dad, my sisters and we went to go pick it up and the guy couldn't do it, I don't know. He could have had, could have been sick, I don't know. He just might have been weak, that's fine. So, my dad, he was struggling with the guy for a good ten minutes, and then he was like, Ari, you know? And, there she goes and five minutes later, she's you can't see her, but the couch is moving. but the So you can see my dad and the other invisible side and then, we make it outside fully, and there, there she is. It's above her head and the mother of the guy that we bought it from, or picked it up from, I don't know. She was so shocked, she even, like, shamed her son. And, I Beside myself. She was like, you saw that little girl did it, and you couldn't do it. And I mean, hey, we were all thinking it. Yeah, because, I think, one of the you've had is to do the share the warmth. And I think about, some of those people who are sometimes a a little bit scary, And I don't think you backed down once. No, I don't think. Okay, there's one, one instance that I might have felt a little fear, only one. I think my mom was more scared for me during job than when I was waitressing my freshman year of college and walking home at four in the morning. I think was more scared of the job that was during the day. I'm just saying, her knees were pretty worn out from that. Praying so hard, I know. I think working at the homeless shelter really shifted my perspective on mental health and just our homeless population A lot of homeless because they want to be. A lot of the time they are so, mentally out there that there's not enough support in these communities and especially in like, rural areas, for mental health support. It's just hospital, and jail. Hospital no longer. They recognize who is homeless, And they don't want to treat them. I know that because I experienced that with working with them and hearing over the phone. Those words come out of some doctor's mouth. So, I know a lot of the stigmas are so true and they're very much practiced in our area. But I was so like far removed from that growing up that I didn't realize that we had a homeless population and then I did notice as I got older, things are progressively getting a little rougher and Adrian. That's because we have a jail here, and that jail will bring families of the people who are inmates there a lot of times. Yeah, the prison. Like statistically, it brings more of their family members, right? And that could bring more of whatever it is. That's not always the case though. It very much could have just already been here, and it was very small, and over the years, things get bigger. And it just became a bigger problem, and I think just Well, we also don't have the mental health resources that we had in this community at one time either. In Tecumseh they are going to be opening a mental health care facility. They're going to focus on the youth to begin with, because prevention is the biggest, you know. Yeah, that's where we really need to focus a lot is prevention in these schools and address the youth before they become adults who don't know how to cope, who don't know how to react and handle life. Yeah, I mean your speed bump, detour, roadblock analogy is very true for all ages, right? And all abilities. Yes. You have shared a ton with us, Lily. Too much. No, not much, but a lot think about, a lot to process. You have a lot of passions, which is so good hear. The future looks very bright right now. What is one thing someone could do to try to change something small? I think, first you need to look at what's in your control. What do you control? And what do you not control? And if the thing that you want to change is in the box of, I can't control, looks like you need to choose something else. Looks like you hit that detour. Yeah, Roadblock. Roadblock, cause we're changing directions Cause we can't change that. Like when my students, they're picking on each other. If you're picking on them for something that they can't change within the next five to ten minutes, you have nothing to say to that person because that's out of their control. Absolutely. Out of their control. And I think if we start to look at our issues or things that we want to change in that way. Okay, what's in my control, what is not in my control and start approaching it that way, If it's not in our control maybe there is a different way that we can shift that question into being more of our control and then we can start addressing the problems. Okay, seeking information about that said problem. what type of problem is this? Where am I going for this information? Making sure the information is credible. A lot of the stuff on the internet is not true. College has taught me so much about research, credible sources, Google Scholar everybody. Google Scholar. It's free. And if you go to college, a lot of their libraries have databases that have articles and lots of information. If you want to make a big difference, if it's something in your community that you want to see change, Talk to different community members people who are in charge or a part of those groups that you want make a difference in. If it's something in your home, if it's personal, like a routine, creating lists, writing down Your hopes, your wishes, your goals. Because all of our wishes and dreams can turn into goals. Once we break down all the steps. But the important thing is writing them down. You can think all of these things. They will come and go. I don't know about you, but my memory is not the best, and I'm only 24, so I can only imagine. That's a genetic thing in your life, I mean, 100 percent because of mother. well, I just want to thank you, Lily, because you have just given us so much to think about. And maybe one day we'll be as good as you are at using your gifts and talents to help the world. Because that's really what you do. I try my best. I think as long as you are doing your best, nobody can tell you anything because you're putting in the effort, you're putting in your time, That's your energy. Those are your emotions, your feelings, and Nobody should be in control over your feelings except you. And that's something my mom has always tried teaching me. She struggles with it, and I still struggle with it. But, we love that we talk about it because, hey. We're aware. Amen. Once again, we thank you for joining us today. We hope that wherever you find an open seat in your life, you will invite someone to join you.

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Katie Love

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