October 15th, 2020: a night of hope kicks off on a fun and positive note. 

   A musical rendition opens the virtual presentation. Serenaded by a beautiful voice, viewers are treated to watching young children power through hard times with a little song and dance. Then, the video swiftly transitions to principal Micheal Castellano introducing guest speaker and proud founder of “Your Life Speaks” Nathan Harmon to the stage. 

  Immediately, as Harmon enters the shot, the amount of energy he radiates is immediately apparent. A sense of relief can be felt through the screen as Harmon presents his true authentic self. Speaking on important topics such as suicide and substance abuse, he lets the world and all the young people listening that they are not alone. “No one is meant to be an island, we need each other,” he says, hands drawing people forward symbolically.

A recurring message throughout his speech is that no one should feel the need to bottle up their feelings. That one day where those pent-up feelings explode shouldn’t ever come. People should feel comfortable enough to talk to someone about it and break from the chains holding them down. 

  The world can be a scary place especially for young people, but even though Harmon’s audience may be young, he knows they are not naive. Times have changed from the preconceived notion that parents need to be perfect and children need to remain protected from the negatives of life. As Harmon says, “Young people are not as naive as we think. Believe it or not they can handle it.” This idea of self-sufficiency weaves throughout Harmon’s message, but it is always coupled by his insistence on community. 

  “Our emotions do not control us; it’s how we navigate those feelings that truly matters.” Resources should be used, Harmon conveys with his easy smiles and experienced gaze. Family, friends, community: all these aspects of life and more should be encouraged and strengthened, for the sake of collective growth and emotional well-being. Harmon asks listeners to trust him when he shares that these lessons are his own, learned through monumental struggles with substance abuse and mental health.

  “Every single one of us is meant to leave a unique fingerprint print on the world.” Nathan Harmon, even through a YouTube presentation, reaches out. Feeling the positivity in his words isn’t an accident. His earnest, impassioned advice isn’t forced, but instead is shared, and done so in a manner that acknowledges weaknesses, life difficulties, and individual conflicts.

  “Connection doesn’t happen by accident.” No matter what challenges in life people face there is always a friend, family member, or even an organization to lend a helping hand. Raising Positive Children is more than just one night—it’s a continued effort to allow countless people, young or young, to move forward and leave their own unique touch on the world. Together.

Contributed to this story: Alan Mathew

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF