1. “Dignity does not consist in possessing honours, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.” -Aristotle (Good Reads)
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, teacher and polymath. Born in 348 BC. He studied human and natural sciences. Dignity is a quality every human posses. Aristotle went to a top school and taught his leanings to students. (Internet Encyclopedia). Possessing honour from his students and showing his intelligence proves dignity, as he maintains self respects and respect for others. To me this means you must work for what you want for the right reasons. Prove yourself in a way that you wanted to be remembered as. Also, dignity does not mean being the best, but being the best you can be as yourself. Do not put others down to get to the top; respect yourself and others to get there. We all posses different things, but to have honour is a privilege. You want these possessions to keep you on track and to have people say good things to and about you. Dignity fails if you fall...
2. "One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrender" -Michael J. Fox (Famous Quotes and Sayings)
..fall if you must, but do not stay down. The meaning of this to quote is that human's have dignity and rights, but sometimes or in some places, not everyone gets to express themselves. You can be violated or mocked, but unless you show weakness, you can prove your inner strength. Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and hid it from the media for seven years. He did not let his illness stop him from acting though. Michael did not tell people out of fear, but because his dignity could be boycott (Michael Fox Foundation). Acting his way between treatments proved that his dignity would be mocked but he did not surrender to death. Winning awards expressed his strength. This story says not to let people walk all over you, stand up for what you believe in and for yourself. Also, live up to your mistakes and don't take the easy road out of things, it only makes things worse....
Sixteen & Pregnant
When Jessyka discovered she was pregnant at age 16, she was in shock and disbelief. Her boyfriend of three years was excited about the news. But that didn’t last. Jessyka, anxious and afraid of what the future held, had some decisions to make, and none of them were easy.
From an early age Jessyka’s life was marked by upheaval, pain and fear. She struggled to understand why her mother would intentionally hurt her. Wasn’t it her job to protect Jessyka from all harm?
Jessyka’s mother was diagnosed with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, a deadly attention-seeking disorder where a parent, usually the mother, intentionally causes illness in her child. Unable to cope with or understand the situation, Jessyka’s father reacted with anger and disrespect. Her parents needed so much help with their own problems that they weren’t able to focus on Jessyka’s needs.
At age three Jessyka was placed in foster care. Turmoil and unrest followed as she bounced from foster home to foster home. Plagued by memories of abandonment and lack of parenting she felt worthless, afraid, broken and alone.
“Although I was a good kid, my lack of self-esteem lead to poor decisions that were rushed and based on fun and peer approval,” says Jessyka. When she learned of her unplanned pregnancy, Jessyka had many decisions to make. Wounded, scared and confused she was on her own battle ground, attempting to survive.
Determining her own path
Hearing her baby’s heartbeat for the first time, and learning the gender, was a wonderfully moving experience for Jessyka. At that moment she knew she didn’t want anyone else calling him ‘mom’.
Determined to provide her son a warm, loving and secure home, Jessyka committed to completing her education. She wanted to be capable of planning the future and making right decisions.
But she couldn’t return to her former high school. Unable to cope with expected ridicule and bullying she, four months into her pregnancy, enrolled in The Salvation Army Hamilton’s Grace Haven high school program.
Jessyka today
Jessyka completed her high school diploma and went on to earn a degree in medical office administration through Grace Haven. Now age 22, she is enrolled in the 2011 fall semester at college and plans to study social work. She and her son, now age five, live with her grandmother. There is no relationship with either parent or the baby’s father.
In an effort to pay forward the help she received from the centre’s donation room, Jessyka has developed a program “helping mom’s in need.” She collects goods for children under 18 months, sorts and washes them before taking them to Grace Haven for distribution.
Jessyka attributes her successful outcome and that of her son’s to Grace Haven where “the support was there when I needed it most. They built my confidence and now I can accept that people do love and care about me.”
"Stories of Dignity – Salvation Army Canada." 2010-2011 Annual Review – Salvation Army Canada. N.p., 26 Apr. 2011. Web. 29 May 2012.
http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2011/04/26/sixteen-and-pregnant/
... Worst thing possible is you get embarrassed. Michael J. Fox could have been put down because he was 'different' for having Parkinson's diease, just like in the link, Jessyka was disrespected by her own parents and wasn't sure what to expect for her child. Dignity is about self respect and a state of mind to fight for what is right. In life, we all get made fun of for something or stabbed in the back, but you can show everyone how great you really are and never surrender your mind by caring or showing weakness...
