I found Alicia Gonzales’ article “She’s Only Five” to be a heart-wrenching tale that prominently displays how life can sometimes bless a person with good fortune, but may present another with a cruel twist of fate. Alicia describes how the latter is true for Natalia, a five-year-old girl whose strength must and does remain incredibly strong when she loses her home.

What is truly distressing about Natalia’s situation is the extremely young age she is when she is exposed to it. No five-year-old child should have to be exposed to a state of homelessness and a longing to be “normal.” No one should have “all the zest and liveliness drained out” of them when they detail a part of their lives, let alone a young child. It is unnerving to see how much suffering and how many hardships this innocent girl must face, and even more troubling to realize that other children are enduring a similar dilemma.


The true impact of this piece, however, comes from how Natalia is able to recover from her dejected state and return to her vibrant usual self, even in view of her circumstances. Her spirit is still burning with passion, and she has not given up on her dreams. She perseveres through troubled times, and her strength remains unscathed. Natalia demonstrates that anyone can recover and live a life filled with exuberance, and this is the part truly inspires me to never, ever give up, just like this courageous young girl. Thank you, Alicia, for sharing her story, and for being a friend to her in her time of distress.