Grassroots Films received another letter this week from the youth development center where The Human Experience was shown to a group of at-risk teenage boys. Many of the letters left a lasting impression, but this one in particular left an impact...

"My Experience With The Human Experience"

The Human Experience was a phenomenal movie, more so a documentary, made by a young man by the name of Jeffrey Azize. He, along with a few other friends went around the world to see life for what it really is.

To me the movie opened up my mind and heart to life. For the fact that I've always thought, 'I have the right to act the way I do, because no one knows what I've been through.' But after seeing what Jeff went through with the leper colony, and the South American kid named Victor - I noticed that they were far off worse than I am but continued to keep smile on their face. It was amazing how the leper colony was so joyful when they were cast-out by their families yet still welcomed others with open arms. Here I am thinking it's alright for me to be rude and disrespectful. Taking the abilities that I have and using them to break laws and get over on people. I feel as if I've been given a blessing but I'm taking it for granted. Especially when looking at a child like Victor who can only eat, write and walk with just one foot. Even at a young age, he doesn't allow his disabilities to become obstacles in his life.

...I don't know about other people, but I realized that I'm very fortunate and these things showed me how I take my mom and dad for granted. Seriously, I have a mother who cares, shows concern, and a father that wants to be involved... Makes me think that I'll be more appreciative of my mother and try to get to know my father before it's too late.

The Human Experience just really helped me open my eyes not only to life, but to people. So I can be more insightful, knowledgeable, grateful and appreciative for the things, people and abilities that I have. One more thing I got out of it is, that no matter how bad things are for me, there is someone worse off, and those are the ones for whom I pray for.

- Written by D.S., a juvenile at the Audubon Youth Development Center in Louisville, KY