Love Without Limits–Lessons from Nick Vujicic
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever had bad judgments fall upon you by those who you felt you could trust? Were they valid? Probably not. Most of the time we have no idea what a person is experiencing and why they do what they do. We have had a few teen suicides in our area. The kids at school are usually all taken back by a suicide because they thought all was well with the person. Parents are left confused and hurt to the core because they didn’t pick up on the signals of the child. What are we missing? “Love without Limits” is missing.
Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for Utah’s youth and each day, two children ages 10-17 are treated for suicide attempts, according to the Utah Department of Health. (Benjamin Wood, 2013)
Last night I attended a parent’s meeting with a teen counselor. Validation was the theme of the night. He read a few comments on what teens have told him they need from their parents. Listening calmly, without judgment or a “fix” for them was the number one written response from the teens. They just want a listening ear, no judgment and not necessarily a solution. He explained that just talking it out often helps them with their own positive solutions. They want to know they are loved and unconditionally accepted.
Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker for teens. He does not have any legs or arms. He has a lot of insights about teens, due to his assemblies he does for schools.
“You don’t know what the person sitting next to you is going through,” he cautioned students.
Vujicic used this and other examples to illustrate the negative influence bullying can have. He talked about how he was picked on as a child. At 10 years old, Vujicic attempted to take his own life, he said, because he thought he had no hope for the future and had been bullied so much.
However, Vujicic said he thought of his loving parents and realized that he didn’t want to put them through that kind of pain.
“Some of you think you wouldn’t be missed if you weren’t here. You’re wrong. Some of you think that giving up is an option. I want you to know: Never, ever, ever give up,” he said. “I couldn’t see my hope. I couldn’t see a bright future when I decided to stay.”
Today, Vujicic is happy, independent, married and recently had a son. He golfs, swims and travels worldwide to share his message of hope.
“I love you,” he told the students several times throughout the assembly.”
(Whitney Evans, 2013)
Take a look at this:
My challenge to you is to LISTEN to those around you. You will make a difference in someone’s life if you do. Help stop the bullying, stop the suicides.