Dr. Michael
Fowlin, actor,
psychologist, poet, performed at Benedictine Academy yesterday. He was truly amazing as he slipped in and out of characters, portraying real young people who have suffered the pain of other people's indifference and ignorance.
“Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent about another’s pain,” Fowlin stated.
“Bullies are not the problem,” he noted, rather,
“Zebras are the problem,” he added, pointing out that in the animal kingdom, zebras will simply stand around and watch another animal being attacked.
“Know the difference between what you are supposed to do and what you need to do,” Fowlin pleaded.
“Speak up!”
Our brothers at St. Benedict's Prep joined us to hear how we can make our lives count. “
I wish that for a day everybody could take off their masks and be real with one another,” Fowlin said. “We don’t pay enough attention to one another ... I’m not ‘the guy in the wheelchair’, I am a human being, I have feelings, but sometimes my feelings are crushed. If all you ever see is my physical disability or wheelchair,
you don’t know me. I’m beautiful,”
“You are all inherently beautiful,” Fowlin told his audience. He challenged the students to “smile at or say hello to at least ten people you don’t normally greet- you never know whose life you could be saving.” “
Stand up- don’t be a zebra!” Fowlin added. “I charge you to go out and make others feel beautiful also.”
