“It is rewarding-and sad- to see and hear the gratitude for very small acts of kindness, from kids who have never felt they had anyone to depend on. I told one of my CASA kids recently how much I admire his ability to make the best of a bad situation after his father abandoned him and left the state. He said that if the person who was supposed to love him and care for him treated him that way….. He’d better learn to take care of himself. That saddens me, but it also inspires me to help him achieve his goals. There would be some justice in that.”