Well, here I sit after having completed the classroom portion of my studies for this program. I have to say it was not nearly as tough as I thought it might be. I know I have gained so much knowledge, confidence and many new friends having gone through this course. The different levels of learning that I felt we had to do were very self-inventory. For example, we really had to gauge were are heads are at, how we are able to enact self-care both mentally and physically and how can we fit in with the members of society that we will be offering our services to. It’s funny because I have thought all year how perfect this field of work this is for me and all the signs throughout the course of this year have pointed in this direction.
I heard a quote from Mark Twain that I have never heard before “The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you learn why.” Obviously the one important day has happened for me but at 44 years old it took a journey through this course that I have taken to learn why. The only trouble is I can’t pinpoint the exact day that I knew this was for me as I have said it has felt right all the way through. For this I feel blessed because I have been shown the way by a power not human. I am not Christian or a firm believer of God but I do respect people’s beliefs as they believe and it is not my place to say what is and what isn’t in this respect. I will say that I have been guided though. For I was given very little stress through this course and I have enjoyed just about every minute of it and I could not have done this on my own.
I learned some life skills that I am sure I was lacking before this course. So much in the way of learning about myself that I learned through my journey here. I have been shown how empathy and sympathy are definitely not the same thing. I have learned how to function on a computer, which is the thing that surprises me the most. I was literally computer illiterate before I set foot through Stenberg’s doors and now I function quite capably. I have learned CPR as well as managing hostile situations. I have been given the ability to assist clients with their medications.
It is amazing the doors that have been opened to me. From here there are so many different roads I can travel to achieve a career. I can work with youth, I can work in low income housing facilities. I can work in corrections facilities helping inmates develop life skills. I can work in homeless shelters, rehab centers and the list goes on it amazes me at the possibilities there are for me and quite honestly I cannot wait to jump in.
I realize that I will have to have some patience in this respect but patience is one more quality of my personality that has been strengthened throughout my journey. There are two more things that I have found to be very important to me. These are things that I bring out of this with me and it is an acknowledgement of the environments that people are in that effect their level of hope and interest in participating in human society. Stigma and marginalization can create the environments that people who do not know any better end up growing into and living. It is unfortunate that more people that have little or no struggle in life are not interested in finding out the truth about people who struggle greatly. More often than not these people do not choose addiction or poverty the choice is made for them and they are not given the skills to get out. So few people in the world are willing to give their time to help show them the way, to care about them and to help them gain a sense of self-worth, purpose and hope. I am honored and look forward to being one of those people who can and will care, will help and will be there.
Thank you Stenberg for showing me the answer to the second most important question in my life as I have a clear image of why I was born, very clear indeed.
