Our Mentor of the Month for September is Joe. Joe has been matched to Little Brother Adam for 5 years now.
From Joe:
One thing I can say with assurance is if you have thought about taking the mentorship, it’s worth every second and you both will never be the same. I met Adam 5 years ago July 2019. I met this quiet, smart, inquisitive young man. He was not as shy as I was possibly expecting, but he also was not completely open to me yet (understandably so). Over our first get together it started as a quiet meeting, with me feeling almost like I was in a job interview – unsure what to say and where to lead the next conversation, maybe feeling like Adam was not that interested in topics I brought up or things I asked. However, after getting to the park and kicking the ball around for a little bit, I began to see and hear the real Adam. An extremely intelligent, funny, outgoing kid, smiling ear to ear telling all sorts of different stories. In fact, I would be lying If I said I wasn’t learning a few things or two from him during these conversations.
Since then, there are tons of memories I have gotten to share and create with Adam. I have gotten to see him through some highs and lows, and not his own but mine as well. I was able to share some knowledge with him playing sports, make memories fishing together, laugh at birthdays or events, watching him hit his first run, or score his first goal in hockey, or even make the school soccer team. Watching him grow into this even more outgoing guy is amazing, making friends at school that will last a lifetime. I was honoured to have him stand with me at my wedding, and he was so happy to become a big brother to my first born son.
If I had any influence on him turning into the young man I see him as today, I would be honoured. But over the time of reflecting and writing this out to you here, I realize it was not just him who grew the most from this relationship, but myself. Adam has been there with me through some of my biggest life changes, and I through his. Its not just a program that we are a part of now, but we are part of each others’ families. And that is something that I would never change, even if I could do it all over again.
Thank you very much, Joe, for being a mentor.