Former Cadet Julian Carrero

Julian lives in Chicago.  His mother asked that I be his mentor as he entered The ChalleNGe Program in January, 2007.  He completed the Rantoul program in June, 2007 and I was his mentor.

I first talked with Julian's mother after she sought information about The ChalleNGe Program for her older son.  Her older son had tried the LCA program a year and a half ago.  I failed to meet that young man since he left within a week after his arrived in Rantoul.   Julian, on the other hand, later arrived and stayed for the entire program.  

It was three years after our first phone conversation, (on the day of Julian's graduation in June, 2007) when I first met his mother, Irus Mendez, face-to-face.

I didn't get very many pictures of Julian as he completed
The ChalleNGe program.  Here's my best photo of Julian....

Two months after graduation from LCA, Julian lived in Chicago.  He said he knew and was aggrivated by "life's dramas".  He's said he was trying to stay on a successful road and, he said it wasn't easy.

But, the fact is, I'm only able to help with occasional phone calls. The fact is, in later phone contacts Julian was still the youngest child sitting at home two years after his LCA graduation. The fact is, he feared his next step so he didn't take it and all I could do was talk with him on the phone every couple months.  

The fact is..."Life is a trip, a walk, a series of steps. It isn't a destination or a "safe place". That comfortable chair at home remains one of our greatest dangers. And, the intense dramas of life are often no more than our warning signs that change is needed. And a tragety of life occures when our skillful interactions can prevent us from taking our life's next steps. We'll just wait here a while and see if Julian can successfully prevent his personal growth and stay at home where he feels safe and secure. Let us hope he finds personal opportunity that outweighs the safety of his chair at home! Or, let us pray for one of life tramas that will knock this young man out of his chair and cause him to resume his life's search. Right now, he's just sitt'n at home chill'n (September, 2009)...and, he has so much more to give that remains trapped in the safety of his comfortable chair.