A Walk To Beautiful

"A Walk to Beautiful" by Jimmy Wayne

I read this book for my work as an advocate for foster children.  It is the story of a boy who when he was 10 was abandoned by his mother and put into foster care.  He was in and out of foster placements and group homes until one day he was taken in by an older couple.  He became a famous country singer and vowed to help children, like he had been, who are aging out of the foster system.  It is a sad story that parallels so many kids in the foster system and yet it is a story of someone who has been there, who has been able to rise above due to some helping hands and promised to pass that help along to others.  "And I wanted to tell those kids, and anyone else who would listen, it's not where youv'e been, but it's where you're goin'; it's not who you were in the past, but it's who you are today-that's what really matters."  Often the past these kids have was not of their choosing.  Someone has to choose to look beyond their past and see who they are.  "If you really want to do something, you can find the way."  "Bea and Russell didn't talk about loving God and loving people; they just did it."  I think this world could use a little less talking about love and more showing it.  "When circumstances drag on you, weighing you down to the point you think you can't take another step, muster the courage, stay strong; keep walking.  Don't walk only when it is convenient; don't merely walk till you get tired; keep walking through it all.  Walk to Beautiful."  And that walk to beautiful looks different for each one of us.