Courage to Dream Again

One of the recent accomplishments Helen is proud of is overcoming her fears and making the decision to call Calvary a few months ago. “I love it here,” she says. Over the course of the last several weeks, Helen has renewed her commitment to pursuing her writing dreams and goals. For the first time she says her creativity is being nurtured and given a chance to grow.

Helen’s passion for telling stories started at a young age, when her mother would often read children’s books to her. She continues to read avidly today. Although she has been writing for almost her entire life, she says her writing has just recently given her a new sense of purpose. She hopes one day to complete a dramatic play and a novel that can be tools of healing for herself and others.

Helen attends a poetry workshop at Calvary she describes as a “wonderful creative outlet” that has introduced her to ways of writing poetry she never knew before. In addition to experimenting with poetry, she is learning other skills through the Life Skills, Education and Arts Program (LEAP) that once intimidated her or that she simply never had the opportunity to try.

Even though she did not imagine her life story included a chapter on homelessness, Helen continues to seek out the positive side of things. “Positivity opens you up to greater possibilities,” she reflects. After reaching out to Calvary, she has arrived at a more stable place and says, “I have the courage to dream again.”

One of Helen’s original poems is below.

MY DREAM

What happened to my dream?
Has it died
or is it just crippled
like the wounded-winged bird
that I saw in 14th Street Park?
Can I revive my dream?
Is it too late?
Can I hold fast to my dream
like Langston Hughes says?