Agu Vaitkus

“If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow “I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

I hope to change a young man's life some day To provide an example of a man who is as disciplined at work as he is with his mental and physical health, his emotional regulation, and his relationships For the angry, the lonely, the misfits -- the "troubled ones" For those different than their peers in ways our systems don't support For those who were told they'd never make it Because for many, certain places only feel reachable once someone shows them that they are Through intentional mentorship, and radical empathy * Train thoughts, 3

I was thinking about the Middle Ages. Information was scarce. Travelers were entertainment -- walking libraries. When one passed through a town, locals would sometimes house and feed them out of curiosity. Even lowly wayfarers carried captivating news and stories from places most people would never see. Today, we can scroll past entire lives in seconds. Information is essentially infinite. Curiosity is shaped by algorithms, visibility, and status. Attention often flows upward. To the Self: always challenge this. Who is it you've been taught to fear, ignore, or pay less attention to? How can you get to know them better? Some of the most important lessons in my life have come from these people. ...and a relevant book worth exploring: No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz