America Deserves A Raise

You wouldn’t know the struggle endured when looking into the large, hazel eyes; her visage exudes both strength and the steely resolve one could only assume is the fiery stubbornness of survival.  It’s rare in finding when she may even express a complaint or pessimism.  Her compassion for others and kindness to friends can be seen through her deeds of putting the desires and needs of others above her own, even in dire times.  And it’s time that, as one of those friends, we try to give back what we’ve been given—love, friendship, kindness, compassion, and the ability to extend a helping hand.

Her name is Jami, a 32 year old woman who, just before the age of 21—when life opens up all possibilities to young adults—learned that she was diagnosed with Lupus and a disease of the kidneys.  She took the news as best as anyone could when faced with medical uncertainty.  At first, she was care-free—it couldn’t be so bad, could it?—but through research and understanding of the condition later, felt overwhelmed and upset.  And when she could have broken down, given up all hope and sense of worth, she decided that she needed to pick herself up and continue to live her life to the fullest with the widest, brightest smile found in the room.

But as the condition evolved over the years, the challenges, too, evolved.  Jami found herself passing through various jobs—even, at one point, holding her dream job of being a radio DJ—until her health wouldn’t allow her to continue to work.  She found herself in and out of the hospital an innumerable amount of times—three of which (one as recently as June 2010) brought her to the brink of death and having the emergency doctors tell her, “We thought we lost you.”  And yet, through all of that—of loss of dream, of erratic health—Jami continues to smile, continues to be warm and comforting to the world, and continues to be the shoulder for friends and others with seemingly more minute problems to cry on.

Today, Jami finds herself living at home with her parents in a small, aging trailer—unable to, due to regular health issues and no employment, fully embrace the independence of life.  And yet, she smiles and is happy.  If Jami were given a raise, she would spend the money not on herself, as some her age may do, but on her family—she dreams of being able to buy her parents a new home.  A better place to call home with her folks, and one that would help in improving her health and living.

Having already lost so many dreams of her youth to her disease, it is this one that I wish to help her succeed in making reality.  And you too could play a part if you help in giving her a raise.