Lessons from Changemakers: Douglass House

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Lessons from Changemakers Douglass House
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Brooks Douglass has overcome immense challenges
throughout his life and has reaped great success
as a result. Douglass has a long list of
accolades. Kicking off his professional career as
a lawyer, transitioning to the youngest senator
to ever be elected in Oklahoma, and eventually
ending up as an actor and a producer. His non
profit organization, Douglass House, might just
prove as the focal point of a strong and
inspiring lesson from this changemaker. Passion
Can Be Fueled By Anything Even Tragedy Saying
Douglass has had to overcome multiple tragedies
throughout his life is an understatement. When he
was 16, two men broke into his home, tied him and
his family up, sexually assaulted his 12-year-old
sister, and shot his parents in the back.
Douglass and his sister were both shot as well
but managed to survive.
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With incredible courage and strength, Douglass
used this experience as fuel for his mission, a
mission where he would make sure that no person
that is a victim of a crime would feel helpless
the way he did. And so Douglass House was born, a
nonprofit organization that gives crime victims
the resources they need to recover. They come
to our website and they can find resources,
locally, for them. Whether they need to know
where to go for victim compensation funds, for
example. Which is help with funeral expenses,
medical expenses thats provided through the
government. Where he could have used this
tragedy as a reason to shut the window of life,
Douglass used his experience as motivation to
help others overcome the same unfortunate
circumstances which he experienced.
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Having A Strong Belief System Is Essential To
Success Douglass exclaimed the need for a belief
system when asked if having one helps people
succeed. I do think its most important when
times are hard. If you dont believe there is a
higher purpose or you were created for a purpose,
then whats the use? Your belief system does
not necessarily need to include a God, but it
should include morals and values that you hold
dear. This helps drive people with something
other than the possibility of accruing more
wealth. We see an irrefutably inspiring example
of this when Douglass comes face to face with one
of the men who broke into his home and changed
his entire life. Douglass forgave the man after
he apologized for what he did to him and his
family. His explanation behind accepting the
apology was that his late father believed
strongly in forgiveness.
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He described the feeling that had overtaken his
body afterward, feeling as if poison was flowing
out of his body and onto the floor. Who knows how
Douglass may have turned out if he held onto that
poison. His belief system told him to let go and
forgive. Even though it must have been impossibly
difficult, it freed Douglass of any ill feelings
he held inside. The Importance of Family
Outweighs Societal Success Brooks Douglass is a
successful man, be it in politics or the film
industry. However, when asked the question about
whether or not he would leave this world happy if
he were to do so today, his resounding no in
response was certainly shocking. What has he left
undone? He revealed that most of his unfinished
work is in spending time with his family.
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Enjoying my kids My parents died just after my
16th birthday. I don't think I appreciated how
much that I relied on being able to go and ask
mom or dad for advice Even when youre at
college and they have parents day or family day,
I didnt have anyone to show up on those days I
would never want my kids to go through that.
-Brooks Douglass Douglass made it evident that
he cares little for societal success anymore.
What matters is being there for his family. He
wants to watch his kids grow up and give them the
opportunities and advice he was never able to
get.
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You would imagine someone of Douglass caliber
being content with life and the impact he has
made, but this proves how insignificant
professional accolades can be when compared to
success as a parent and a friend. Professional
success is important, but always keep your family
in mind, because you never know for how long you
will have the privilege of enjoying their
time. This episode was inspiring and educational
to say the least. Douglass has hurdled obstacle
after obstacle through his life and has proven to
be a true changemaker. Visit Douglass House if
you would like to donate and help him to give
victims the support they need and the rights they
deserve.
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