America paradice lost

 I was born on a Sunday in 1972.my parents took me to church and Sunday school .my parents taught me that gods golden rule was to show compassion..in the mid to late 70`s  we moved into a house next to a two story mansion which had been turned into apartments.in meridian,ms at that time,i remember a lot of people looking for jobs and being unemployed.my father who worked at a local steel factory,was lucky,and although we were not rich,we were better off than most.the people in the two story house next door were poor.and a lot of them could not get money for rent.if it had not been for old lady griffin,most of them would have been homeless.my mom would buy extra food.and make a special meal.this meal was for our neighbors who did not have any way to get help.i remember several kids my age ,who`s parents were desperately poor.my mom would buy clothes for them.she would cook meals for them and their parents.some,she would take to the hospital.my mom babysat a lot of kids.she would tell me,"if you believe in god,it is your job to help those less fortunate,the widows and orphans"and so she did.this went on for a long time.
  then,in the early 80`s my father was hurt in a accident at his job.he was nearly killed.the company basically starved us into settling with them.but ,in that 4 years,we had to go through dumpsters behind Winn Dixie, Kroger to exist.i was bullied relentlessly in school.and as any kid in that shape,i was skinny.then,in 1984 at the age of 12,i was nearly killed in what you would say is a freakish accident.with no money,the emergency room doctors just stitched me up,and sent me home.only later to find out that in my accident,i broke several vertebrae in my neck.we had become desperately poor.but,unlike those we helped,no one helped us.my father tried to work,but after the accident he could not.my mom would try,and the a holes would not pay her what they should.when my father was finally approved,i was 14.
 one could look at this story and say i should be angry,jaded.but i still do what i can.even though the accident i had left me with problems with my entire spine.i have had three surgeries.and still,it is getting worse.but,i still help those whom are less fortunate.and i still believe.i have not lost faith in god,but my faith in humanity has been shaken.and my view of how great things are has been questioned.
 how can people be so dumb as to think at any moment an accident will not leave them in the same position as my family?then there are those who think my father was lazy.he worked for 25 years,walked 8 miles to his job.this i know.he did more than many men in that situation.my mom moved us to a farm where we worked.we have always been happy to work.but,now my parents can not.and people treat them sorry.so when i stand before saint Micheal,i will have a story to tell.and he will have final say.i am glad of my path,i have learned so much.thank you,god for my parents,and the lesson you taught me.