Bernadette Francis Foundation - BFF

Another one of Dr. Swinburne Augustine’s favorite poems.A powerful reminder that even our missteps can become stepping stones if we choose to rise from them

The Ladder of St. Augustine
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Saint Augustine! well hast thou said,
That of our vices we can frame
A ladder, if we will but tread
Beneath our feet each deed of shame!

All common things, each day's events,
That with the hour begin and end,
Our pleasures and our discontents,
Are rounds by which we may ascend.

The low desire, the base design,
That makes another's virtues less;
The revel of the ruddy wine,
And all occasions of excess;

The longing for ignoble things;
The strife for triumph more than truth;
The hardening of the heart, that brings
Irreverence for the dreams of youth;

All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds,
That have their root in thoughts of ill;
Whatever hinders or impedes
The action of the nobler will; —

All these must first be trampled down
Beneath our feet, if we would gain
In the bright fields of fair renown
The right of eminent domain.

We have not wings, we cannot soar;
But we have feet to scale and climb
By slow degrees, by more and more,
The cloudy summits of our time.

The mighty pyramids of stone
That wedge-like cleave the desert airs,
When nearer seen, and better known,
Are but gigantic flights of stairs.

The distant mountains, that uprear
Their solid bastions to the skies,
Are crossed by pathways, that appear
As we to higher levels rise.

The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.

Standing on what too long we bore
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes,
We may discern — unseen before —
A path to higher destinies,

Nor deem the irrevocable Past
As wholly wasted, wholly vain,
If, rising on its wrecks, at last
To something nobler we attain.

It was such a pleasure having Dr. Swinburne Augustine as a guest speaker at our BFF meeting. His insights, authenticity, and journey to success is truly inspiring.

He shared one of his favorite poems that has stayed with him along his path, one that speaks to the power of choices and forging your own way. Sharing it here in case it resonates with you too:

“The Road Not Taken”
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

A reminder that the paths we choose truly shape where we end up.

🌞 Good Afternoon, students and parents!

We’re excited to announce that our first quarterly Zoom meeting will be held on October 18th! Keep an eye on your email, as the invite will be sent out shortly. Please make sure to save the date—we can’t wait to connect with all of you!

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead! 🎉

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉
For the 2025-2026 school year BFF has awarded 28 scholarships and we’re just getting started! That’s 28 students surpassing last years count of 27,gaining access to the education, support, and opportunities they deserve. 🎓📚

This is a milestone we’re proud of, but there’s so much more to do. To continue supporting even more students, we rely on funding and visibility from donors, partners, and advocates like you.

Every contribution and every share helps us reach the next student who needs a hand. Let’s keep moving forward together. 💛

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