Matthew R.'s Toolbox

When I was in my late teens my dad gave me a toolbox. And while it gave me the ability to fix things, later in life, I understood that it represented something more. You see, I grew up in an American city that hit some real stormy weather when a confluence of big changes came. Just like people, sometimes a place can struggle to find its footing after a hard time. We have to remember, we’re all made of more than one event.

While my community struggled, there was still love and ladders everywhere. My parents, teachers, and even access to the arts provided me with the "tools" for all that life brings. It is after all what gets placed in our "toolboxes" that help to shape our hearts. And it’s our hearts of course, that help to shape the experience of our lives.

Nowadays, I try to fill other people’s "toolboxes" as often as I can by listening, sharing and lending a hand. Living with a generous and inclusive heart grows my sense of possibility, and hopefully, it helps others to fill their "toolboxes" with some more of that good stuff too.