A view from the camp where church retreat was
The "backyard"= the Flatirons (a chain of 5 mountain faces near Boulder)
The front of our house
A street performer at Pearl St. mall
Friday was kinda a frustrating day at work. It felt like I was running after my participant or asking him to do things and going unheard And then I was given another participant in the afternoon and felt the exact same way. Like I was unheard. Plus I feel like I’m already getting fed up with the commute to work. It takes so much time and it’s tiring. I wanna stick it out for awhile…just to see if it gets better. And I'm not sure how I feel about the weekend work shifts. Today wasn't bad since the participants are low maintenance- but it's still the concept of working on a Saturday that gets me. I feel like it cuts into community living and my personal life. But I like to give things a fair chance and want to have an open mind. Maybe it won't be that bad. We shall see. (famous last words)
It has been interesting to "start over" here in Boulder. I had an awesome group of friends in college and in my home area, so to come here with none of that network- has been challenging. I’m such a social person that it’s difficult to start over and not really have any friends. Co-workers are really nice and fun- but definitely not friend level yet. My key word this week has been: TIME. Just like a wound needs time to heal or a broken heart- that is what I need right now. Time. Makes me think of the Rolling Stones song “Time is on my side”. The lyrics don’t really pertain, but eh.
So now I have a few days off work before back to the grind. This past week of work was good. I am still getting to know the participants and their level of needs- as well as getting to know my co-workers. It has been interesting working with participants who aren't verbal. At times it feels like I am talking to myself, but I realize the importance of treating them like any other person and I believe that many of them do understand what you are saying and have some way of communicating with you- it just may not be the perceived "normal" way. It is amazing how natural it feels to hold conversations with the participants. They are easy to talk to and many are very social and personable. Being out in the community- I do feel stares from others, watching our group. I think most of them are curious glances and I would like to think that they find our outings (work) to be meaningful and important. Because I know that's how Out and About sees it. Today when we went to pay for our two bowling lanes, we discovered that someone at the bowling alley had covered our cost. I was pleasantly surprised and it felt like someone understood.
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. -Henry David Thoreau-
A view from the camp where church retreat was 
Oh, how similar some of your struggles sound! I just wrote a long e-mail about the stress of work and how hard it is to learn each individual's language (because they all communicate in such different ways...) and how horribly hard it is to be away from the friend syou love so dearly... You're not alone my friend!
ReplyDeleteTree
Lindsey! I finally am reading your blog. I, like Tree, feel like I am having/have had some of the same emotions as you. There is so much joy and so much pain in seeing how other people live. I also know what its like to start over with friends, but God is amazing and brings in just the type of people you need. It's funny how almost all of my friends here are nothing like my friends at home or college, but its a good thing. I wanted to leave you this quote that I really love, I found it a few days before I left home and I thought it was quite appropriate.
ReplyDeleteShawna
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
- Mark Twain