Sunday, June 15, 2008
Growing Pains and Emergencies
Yes, this has been my week, full of one emergency after the other. I came into the office Tuesday morning and checked my work voice mailbox. I really wish I hadn't done that. Unfortunately, working for Child Welfare, this is not something that you can put aside. This job is full of emergencies, some are worse than others, but unfortunately they do happen. It was a week that I felt tried all of my patience and then some. Sometimes this work is really heartbreaking, it is really hard to see children suffering and paying the consequences for the choices of their parents and families. Needless to say, I worked four very long days that were heart wrenching. Friday was the worst. It was the worst day I've had in a long time, mostly because my heart ached for a little 2 year old on my caseload. If I were a superstitious person I would have attributed this to it being Friday the 13th. But I'm not. When 6:00 pm came on Friday I had at least two more hours of work left, but I couldn't handle any more so I came home. Through my tears of sadness and frustration I had a black cat run right in front of my car. Maybe it was my total exhaustion, but it did make me break into a fit of laughter. I thought great, what next, I'm doomed now that a black cat crossed my path on Friday the 13th. Luckily for me I'm not superstitious, but it did cause me to have a good laugh, which was a nice change. I went straight to bed and took a nap. Let me tell you, its amazing what a good nap will do for a person. I woke up feeling so much better and was able to process the things of the day. I've spent a lot of the day pondering on the events of last week. Sometimes the things I see push me to my mental limit and definitely push me to the edge of my patience. I guess these are experiences that are providing me with some learning opportunities and opportunities for growth, even if they do hurt sometimes. I hope that I am doing at least some good, and I hope that I can help some children along the way. They are such special people who have experienced so much. I am so thankful to my own parents who are so wonderful, and I am so thankful to Aaron's parents for raising such a wonderful man. Also, hats off to you wonderful parents out there, you are appreciated, even if no one thanks you!
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3 comments:
i don't know how you do it. that would be so hard.
What a job. Talk about an unsung hero. Any profession working with kids is so hard, just like you said, watching the effects of poor choices on such innocent lives. I only taught for a year before our son came along, but I still think about some of my students SO much. This whole mortality thing... sheesh. I think it was working with kids and seeing the atrocities of the world through that perspective that changed the way I look at the second coming from a scary thing to something that I anxiously await. It's so comforting that there will be an end to all of the garbage in this world. Hang in there. I know you are doing more good than you know.
I feel for you, I couldn't handle that kind of emotional workplace. Its a good thing there are people like you in this caotic world.
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