1. Friday, December 30, 2011 Town Times 19
Movado Farm Inc.
Riding
Lessons
Adults and children
349-8728
Route 17, Durham, CT
www.movadofarm.com
Heated Indoor Arena
1223218
1219385
Total Hair Care
Hair - Nails - Tanning
16 Main Street • Durham, CT • (860) 349-6901
WHITEHOUSE
SEPTIC
INSTALLATION & REPAIR
Randy Whitehouse (860) 349-1904
Durham, CT Fully Insured
1219392
CT Lic. #554559
1219390
Lic. & Ins. EI 183930
Residential Wiring Specialist
Landscape Lighting
Design • Install • Service
6 Way Road
Suite 110
Middlefield, CT 06455
860-349-7063
Major Credit Cards Accepted
GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE
BA LMT CIMI CMC
License #004365SWEDISH MASSAGE
REIKI
DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE
CHAIR MASSAGE
PREGNANCY MASSAGE
INFANT/CHILD MASSAGE CLASSES
1223207
20% OFF
all
Gift Certificates
• Decorative Patios and Walks
• Block Retaining Walls
• Outdoor Living Spaces
• Mulch, Stone, Soil
Delivered/Installed
• Slab Firewood Delivered
• Bobcat Services
• Lawn Repair • Thatching
• Overseeding
• Tree Cutting and Chipping
• Snow Plowing
“Total yard renovation and much, much more”
860-301-7722Fully Insured HIC #0630530
1225402
Rob
Grant Durham
Creative Arts Creative Arts Creative Arts Creative Arts Creative Arts
Town Times Service Directory
There is always hope
Hey, you. Hey. Listen up. I
know that high school is
tough. Having been there not
too long ago, I remember it
well. I understand that you
have to balance an inundation
of schoolwork with extracur-
riculars, family stresses, so-
cial strains and a plethora of
other pressures — including
bullying.
I know it happens on a reg-
ular basis. That when you
wake up in the morning, the
one thing you can count on is
that some kid is going to call
you fat, or gay, or retarded, or
ugly, or any number of slurs
that no one around you seems
to notice. I know you’re strug-
gling and wondering how to
deal with it. I know you’re des-
perate for someone to care. I
know that, when you get
home from school every day,
you cry, you scream, you med-
icate, you self-harm, you hide,
you lie, you carry on, and you
bear it all again the next day,
just waiting for a way out. I
just want you to know that not
only are you not alone, but
you don’t have to give up.
Adolescence is inarguably
the cruelest and most difficult
period of a person’s life. But
you’ll come out of it with
tougher skin, a bigger heart,
sharper wit, infallible wisdom
and battle scars that will re-
mind you of how far you’ve
come and give you reason to
be proud of yourself. I hope
you realize how important
you are and that what you’re
going through — it doesn’t
ever have to be the end.
A few months ago, I re-
ceived the devastating news
that someone from my gradu-
ating class, someone who was
a close friend of mine for more
than a year while I was grow-
ing up, took his own life due to
some unfortunate circum-
stances that he didn’t know
how to handle. Even though I
hadn’t seen or spoken with
him in almost five years, I still
would have been at his side in
a heartbeat if I had known he
was struggling. I didn’t know
until it was too late to help
him. He had no idea that he
was important to me, but he
truly, irrefutably was.
This is true for you, too,
even if you can’t see it. That
person who used to be your
friend in middle school and
now hangs out with a differ-
ent crowd? Still cares about
you. That brother or sister
who antagonizes you every
moment of your life? Loves
you. That teacher who
flunked you on an assign-
ment? Your ex who’s now dat-
ing someone else? Your par-
ents who limit your social
life? Your friends who blow
you off sometimes? They all
care about you and want
what’s best for you. They may
not come out and tell you in
no uncertain terms, but
you’re important to them.
Please don’t ever lose hope.
If you can’t imagine how any-
thing could get better, then
please talk to someone about
it. If you don’t think you can
trust anyone in your life, then
reach out beyond them and
find someone who will listen
and who can understand what
you’re going through and give
you valuable advice. If you’re
at a loss for where to start,
here are several anonymous
hotlines you can call any
time: depression (1-630-482-
9696), suicide (1-800-784-8433),
lifeline (1-800-273-8255), The
Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+
youth, 1-866-488-7386), sexuali-
ty support (1-800-246-7743), eat-
ing disorders (1-847-831-3438),
rape and sexual assault (1-800-
656-4673), grief (1-650-321-5272),
runaway (1-800-843-5200) and
Exhale (for pro-voice support,
1-866-439-4253).
There’s always hope, even
for the hopeless.
By Michelle P. Carter,
age 23
Alexandra Santiago, IDS grade 5 Grecian Amphora