Earth Guardian – Catherine Ayleen

The Consciousness of a Crystal Child

When I was little I wanted to be a superhero, so I thought working in Law enforcement would be as close as I could get. Keeping this in my heart all the time motivates me to do my best at school and be good to people. My goals keep me on the right path and inspire me to live the best and healthiest life I can.

“From time to time we find ourselves inspired by books we read and people in history that have dared to stand in their truths and move us with their passion. But sometimes, all we have to do is to simply pay attention at home and find inspiration from our own children. Children are our biggest teachers and they are being born with a Higher Consciousness announcing the inevitable transition into a new Golden Era”. 

This story is about a 16 year old superhero that wears no cape, but she has a very clear idea that she is here to serve others and she is taking “Action” as proof of her commitment to her community.

Catherine is consciously dedicated to learn the necessary skills like self defense and actual police training, to be able to serve and protect (in the best of her abilities) her friends, family and people around her everywhere she goes.

In this interview, Catherine shares very specific and practical information on the challenges but also on the virtues that represent being a teenager today. She offers an honest perspective on Love, being focused, having meaningful goals, and once again, on the importance on taking action, if you want to see your dreams come true.

What do you feel is the most fun thing about being a teenager?

I feel the most fun part is just being able to live and learn. I think during teenage years that’s when you take the most risks, and from those risks you decide to take, is where you learn the best lessons. I appreciate the lessons and the consequences when I deserve them because I know I’ll probably take something valuable away from it. But aside from the lessons, I also enjoy living in my last few years of childhood. I like being able to go out with my friends on the weekends and only having to worry about school and chores.

[blockquote author=”” pull=”normal”]I think during teenage years that’s when you take the most risks and from those risks is where you learn the best lessons.[/blockquote]

What’s the most challenging thing about being a teenager?

Being a teenager, especially taking into account being in high school, is very
stressful. The choices you make, whether academically or personally, will have some type of impact on you in the future. There are a lot of expectations to live up to, especially socially, having to act the way you are expected to be by your peers is very stressful and challenging. Society and media promote being “you” and being “unique”, but the second you do something that’s not in the ‘norm’ you are judged or shunned. So it’s definitely a delicate way of living.

What is love to you?

Love takes many different forms for different relationships. I love my best
friends and I don’t know what I would do without those girls. I love my family; I wouldn’t be where I am without them, and I’ve loved a boy too. However, before I was able to love others and create these relationships, I had to learn self-respect and self-love. Love to me starts from within. You have to Love who you are before you can truly open yourself up to another person and create a loving relationship. I haven’t had much experience with romantic relationships, but I do know that I had to be happy as an independent person before I could be happy as a person in a relationship.

Who are your role models other than your parents?

My role model is one of my best friends and her name is Kenisha. I’ve known Kenisha since second grade. She was one of the first people I met when I moved to Colorado and I am still going to school with her. She has suffered a big loss in her life and she’s never had it easy. You wouldn’t think she would be the person she is today if you saw the environment she is growing up in. However, she defied that environment and she became the kindest, most loving, down to earth person you could meet. Kenisha has chosen the path she wants to follow and she has done nothing but succeed.

What inspires you in life?

My goals inspire me. What I want for myself in the future is what inspires me. My goals are to one day have a career in law enforcement, I want to help people and make a difference. When I was little I wanted to be a superhero, so I thought working in law enforcement would be as close as I could get. Keeping this in my heart all the time motivates me to try my best in school, and be good to people. My goals keep me on the right path and inspire me to live the best and healthiest life I can.

How do you make a difference in your community?

The way I make a difference in my community is by doing a lot of
volunteering work. I joined a cadet program here in Colorado with the Sheriff’s office. So I get to learn about law enforcement and train under the deputies of the office. This position I hold as a cadet is a volunteer position. We do a lot of community events, such as volunteering at the annual rodeo, police summer camps, and other community events. By the end of the year, we are required to have at least 120 volunteer hours. I found that this is a great way to serve my community.

When you look at the world around you, is there anything you wish it was different?

I take a sociology class and it has opened my eyes to everything I had not
seen before. Through this class, I have developed a passion for equality, and not just gender equality, but race equality as well. I believe that everyone, no matter what race or gender you are, we should be equal and have the same rights and opportunities. I learned this through the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Condoleezza Rice. If I could change the world in any way it would be by creating equality for all. People think that racial equality has gotten better and in some ways it has, but the discrimination is still there. It’s simply been updated to fit our modern society. I believe the same for gender equality. The change needs to keep progressing because we, as a society, are not there yet. We have far more work to do to become completely equal.

How do you keep teenage friendships drama free, and healthy?

For this question, I had to talk to my best friends. The most common answer I got was, “Communication”. If your friend is doing something you don’t think is healthy or safe you have to tell them, otherwise, they’re not going to stop. You can’t read each other’s minds, so communication is key. Another common answer was to not spend too much time with each other. It’s one thing to be close and hang out on the weekends but you have to have other friends. Eventually, you get tired of each other and it can cause tension. I think honesty, communication, and space is a great start.

Photography by: Nicolle G.