Life Goes On
Fostelle Hymon
The ConTextos Authors Circle was developed in collaboration with young people at-risk of, victims of, or perpetrators of violence in El Salvador. In 2017 this innovative program expanded into Chicago to create tangible, high quality opportunities that nourish the minds, expand the voices and share the personal truths of individuals who have long been underserved and underestimated. Through the process of drafting, revising and publishing memoirs, participants develop self-reflection, critical thinking, camaraderie and positive self-projection to author new life narratives.
Since January 2017 ConTextos has partnered with Cook County Sheriff's Office to implement Authors Circle in Cook County Department of Corrections as part of a vision for reform that recognizes the value of mental health, rehabilitation and reflection. These powerful memoirs complicate the narratives of violence and peace building, and help author a hopeful future for human beings behind walls, their families and our collective communities.
While each author’s text is solely the work of the Author, the image used to create this book’s illustrations have been sourced by various print publications. Authors curate these images and then, using only their hands, manipulate the images through tearing, folding, layering and careful positioning. By applying these collage techniques, Authors transform their written memoirs into illustrated books.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number ALN 21.027 awarded to Cook County by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Life Goes On
Fostelle Hymon
Life is like a rollercoaster, life is an adventure, life is a journey, life is like science, life is beautiful, life is a blessing.
You know, when some people tell you “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” and “life is like a box of chocolates”, I favor those quotes because they are relatable.
I tend to apply a lot of situations we go through to those sayings. You never know what tomorrow or the future is going to bring into your life,
so when things come your way, it's best to embrace them and make the best out of your situations and keep pushing through the trials and errors.
One of my favorite things to do is spending time at the amusement parks, enjoying the fun atmosphere with family and friends.
I love when everyone is having fun together, enjoying living life in the moment. I’m also a family man.I love my family the most out of everything and everyone besides God.
As I sit here in Cook County and reminisce about old days and trials and errors that came and affected me, I realized how blessed I truly am, as well as my family.
Weallloveeachotherdearlyandevenastimegoesonandwecomedistant, butlifegoeson.
I learned a lot about people in this life, how human beings operate, and the best teacher was jail, sadly to say. We are surrounded by so many different people and different personalities daily on a daily basis.
You see a person ’ s high vibration, then low. You even see the negative things that you see people struggle with and you can only pray for them because a conversation doesn't end well.
Seeing stuff, experiencing different vibes, and feeling certain brothers for months, sometimes years, you begin to look at them with care.
You tell yourself to not judge, because you realize this person has a life too and is just as confused as you are.
As I think about the changes that’s occurring while I've been here seeing people change around me and outside the effects that it has on loved ones I tell myself that it has a beautiful side too.
We were recently asked to answer the question of why change is important and for what reasons.
I said I believed change is important for many reasons but mainly because it comes from a realization and trying.
It can come from aging and gaining wisdom. Positive things that happen in a person ' s life or negative as life goes on we try many things and sometimes things don't go the way we like it so we try to overcome and change for better results.
I'm pretty sure anyone who tells you that they changed or is in the process of changing would say it is hard for them in many ways.
but the one outcome and just trying to do so makes them feel, think, look and talk like a different person.
Nobody wants to stay the same forever continuing to receive the same results theyve been receiving for years as life goes on.
Change is goingtohappen whether it’s good orbad.
The best thing to do is to keep going and never stop. For anyone who reads this story, I just want you to know that you are great and you are special to someone.
So keep pushing and remember life goes on. People come and go every day in life. Some you see again, some you don't see again, and that can affect you in good ways and bad, depending on the relationships
I try to figure out who's good company and bad when I meet people, because that is also another good lesson that I was taught.
Actually, the best lesson is to watch the company you keep. Everyone's energy and motives are different. I try to live a happy, peaceful, fun life because it's short.
Fostelle Hymon
Until the lion learns to write their own story, tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter - African Proverb
