And not even for me. I have had three kids come to me to pour their hearts out and ask for help/advice/wisdom. I’m being as gentle as I am capable and taking them to people with more authority when it is a good thing. It means it has been a day for lots of personal disclosure, “You don’t know what foster care is like!” “Well honey… actually, I do.” “You don’t know what it is like to be the only white kid in a neighborhood and have lots of people want to beat you up.” “Well honey…. actually, I do.” Then there is the kid where his parents have told him he is getting thrown out on his 18th birthday so he is trying to determine his options for getting out of high school early so he can get a job. I understand that situation too. *sigh*
It’s one of those days when I feel like despite how difficult my job is–I am where I am supposed to be. Not many people have had my experiences and I’m glad that I can help the kids.
In times past, I’d sometimes allow myself a “why me???” moment, following some kind of painful or disastrous occurrence. Without fail, with each of those, at some point farther down the road, I’d encounter someone going through a similar experience. A person often feels noone really *could* completely understand, because surely *noone* has been through the same thing, and my past experience allowed me to say empathetic “I feel your pain” things that brought them back from that “I’m all alone” edge.
I no longer question why things happen to me (well, usually, anyway). I try to look for the “why is this happening” and “what lesson am I supposed to take away from this” in that situation. Because I know there will be someone, farther down the road, who might appreciate knowing they are not alone.
Yup!
Before you even started I had said to people that your life has eminently prepared you for this. Heck I vaguely recall saying it to you once when you were really pissed at me and ripping off my head for talking about your inner greatness.
I think that you get under my skin so well/easily because for whatever reason even your compliments *sound* like you are saying something bad. I think it has something to do with me hearing your tone of voice as sarcastic even when you don’t mean to be.
I see you as being exactly where you are needed. And I’ve always been rather impressed that you arrived there so early in life.
I am always glad you are where you are.
Thank you.