It's not often that you watch "The Bachelor" and it opens your eyes to something more than petty drama and scripted lines. But, as I was watching the 'Women Tell All,' Kristina Schulman sat down in the "hot seat" and instead of spewing cruelty and hate at the other women, she told a story of love, and second chances. She grew up in Russia and, from a young age, she had no one in her life. Those that were, screamed at her and forbid her from eating a morsel. At five years old, she knew a life of suffering was something that no one, especially a young child, should experience. She knew that if she stayed in Russia, with no family and no support system that she would be forced to enter into a life of prostitution simply in order to support herself and survive. A teacher told her, "Your life here will be in black and white, but a life in America will be in color." With this, she made the difficult decision to leave everything she knew behind and to start a new life in America.
Her story should make you incredibly grateful for your childhood and the life that you were born into. No child should have to choose between leaving her home country and everything she knows behind or face a life prostitution just to survive.
The opportunity Kristina got to move to America saved her life.
Not only did Kristina's story tug at my heartstrings, but I couldn't help think of Donald Trump's reinstated travel ban. Granted, there are horrible people that enter this country with nothing but malicious intent. And yes, it is somewhat reasonable to believe that this travel ban will make our nation safer. But what about all of the Kristina Schulmans out there? What about all of those children who at the age of five are faced with challenging decisions about their lives? Or the parents who know their children will only face a life of hardship in their country and know the best thing that they can do for their children is to send them to America?
So many people from other countries look to America as a safe escape, as a goal, as an "if I could live there I could be so successful, I could be so happy."
Regardless of your political affiliation or party views, I hope her story makes you think. I hope you appreciate your childhood and the life you have been given. I hope you are grateful that your hardest decision as a five years old was what swing to swing on at the playground. I hope you think of political laws, regulations and bans differently. These may not affect you or your family personally, but they affect some family out there, and often in a negative way. I hope you follow political rulings a little less blindly and think of the people that are impacted. I hope you think of all the Kristina Schulmans and the life-changing opportunities America brings to people.
