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It started with a challenge. When I was
a kid, I listened to my mom’s Les Miserables cassettes and
eventually CDs and sang my heart out to every song. I pretended to be
Gavroche and then pretended to be Eponine. It was my favorite
soundtrack ever. I was jealous when my parents went to the American
tour as it came through our town. I begged my mom to let me go next
time, so she offered me a challenge. Read the book and I could go.
I’m not sure if she thought I would take her up on it, but I think
she was curious. She knew my tenacious spirit.
I don’t think
she was expecting me to pressure her into going to the bookstore
ASAP. We went and I found the full version and the abridged, my
10-year-old mind logically came to the conclusion that I would have a
better chance of finishing the abridged version in time if the play
came back, and I was right. I promised my mom I would read the full
version soon, but asked if the abridged would count for now. She, of
course, said yes.
I read the book, I had my mom help me
with words I didn’t know and relied on her to best explain the
concepts of the book that I couldn’t quite grasp at such a young
age. My mom found herself sitting on my bed telling me the struggles
of the poor and how revolution can change the world. I don’t think
she thought that one day she’d be explaining such deep topics with
her little girl, maybe when I was older, but certainly not that
young. But, she always said I was an old soul.
This started me on a passion for the
impoverished and shunned, whether it be someone who was poor and
homeless or someone who was deemed unimportant by society. I took it
upon myself to rid the world of this, but slowly came to the
realization that it was a big feat for such a small girl. When I was
18, I started feeling quite hopeless – it all started with going to
NYC and seeing homelessness everywhere. Springfield, MO does a
“great” job of hiding it. My heart and soul broke and I felt like
nothing could change. I started thinking about Les Miserables again;
thinking about how Hugo put everything on the line to write that book
and things did improve for a time. I realized it took more that a few
words and giving a coin here and there – it involved being a
spokesperson in both political and social environments. I am not much
of one for public speaking, so I have avoided going to rallies or
speaking to political individuals about this, but I have been working
to rid the negative viewpoints people have in my friend groups. Start
small, they say. Small things change make the biggest change.
I work to make people look like, well,
people and make others see them as human beings. That their pity
doesn’t do much to help someone in a rough situation. It has been a
long process and I am still working, but I have slowly noticed
attitudes changing about those that society deems unworthy, stupid,
undesirable, etc.
Les Miserables spoke to my little
10-year-old heart and started a passion no one could ever put out.
This passion was doubled, nay tripled, when I actually walked the
streets of Paris and talked about the history of the book. Chills, I
say. Chills.
I know that it doesn’t seem like
much, but I hope one day my words change the way people view the
“lowest of society” and that one day we can all start working
together to end the strife surrounding us and appreciating everyone
for who they are.
This book is filled with self-sacrifice
and caring about those in need – it taught me a lot about caring
for people, no matter their circumstance and is very often the
reminder I need to forgive someone who I have no desire to forgive.
This book has made me a better person
and continually challenges me. I hope that, if you read it, this book
challenges you, too.
THANK YOU LYDIA!
Lydia is a fantastic writer, as you can see, & also a fantastic person. I hope you've enjoyed this read as much as I have! Moreover, I hope that you will feel encouraged to learn more about the things that inspire the people around you, & share your own stories.
Lydia is a fantastic writer, as you can see, & also a fantastic person. I hope you've enjoyed this read as much as I have! Moreover, I hope that you will feel encouraged to learn more about the things that inspire the people around you, & share your own stories.
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