an alternative reality
You have heard different lenses that my story can be perceived. I would like to explore and narrate the story through a social work lens. When I started my social work journey I remember a story very vividly. It started like this:
There was two social workers sitting by a fast flowing river on a beautiful summer's day. They were enjoying the sunshine and having a picnic, when all of a sudden a kid comes down the river screaming and thrashing about. Without hesitation they both jump in the river and after much struggle, pull the child to shore. Before they can catch their breath, they spot another individual, this time a large adult who obviously doesn't have much skill at swimming. The two social workers jump in again. They barely are able to drag the person ashore. They are lying in the grass at river's edge too exhausted to move. Before they know it another body is in the river. Without hesitation, the first one dives in the river while the other runs up the river bank. The one in the river yells at his colleague and asks what the fu $%$#% they are doing? The other one replies, I am going upstream and seeing if I can find out what is causing these people to end up in the river.
I used to tell people I have the best job in Prince George. Those were not just words, I believed those words. I don't know the day that it happened but something shifted. I suspect it could have been the pace of people who ended up in the river, or the fact that some of them would stumble back up the banks and fall into the river a few days later after drinking too much booze. It might have been around the time when I stumbled into the river myself and had to pull myself out, cause I didn't cry for help. You see I am the good swimmer, I don't want anyone to risk harm by helping me. At some point, I collapsed on the bank of the river and when it was my turn to jump in the river, my boss who intuitively knew better, put her hand on my back and said, "not today ... you need a break". Let me find someone else to sit by the river bank.
What appeared to be an eternity later, I was able to get the gumption to be ready to return to work, the difference this time was I got the opportunity to climb the river bank and start scouting upstream. I had the privilege of talking to people who were close to stumbling in the river. I hope to be the person, repairing the rope bridge, binding the holes and possibly making a more sturdy wooden bridge crossing. I have hope because if there is one thing I know ... it is this. I don't like having to rescue people from drowning I would much prefer to avoid them of falling in the first place. I also know that many people don't prefer to find themselves in the river. Too often drowning people are lectured while they are swimming, what caused them to fall, why are they in their circumstances, maybe they prefer having a cold swim. Whatever the cause, lets sit down by the river bank, talk about the sunshine and focus on living and breathing on land. Let's talk about the things in our life that give us purpose, that encourage us to put one foot in front of the other in the direction of health. That is my new purpose, to plant seeds of hope ... and for that I am extremely grateful.
There was two social workers sitting by a fast flowing river on a beautiful summer's day. They were enjoying the sunshine and having a picnic, when all of a sudden a kid comes down the river screaming and thrashing about. Without hesitation they both jump in the river and after much struggle, pull the child to shore. Before they can catch their breath, they spot another individual, this time a large adult who obviously doesn't have much skill at swimming. The two social workers jump in again. They barely are able to drag the person ashore. They are lying in the grass at river's edge too exhausted to move. Before they know it another body is in the river. Without hesitation, the first one dives in the river while the other runs up the river bank. The one in the river yells at his colleague and asks what the fu $%$#% they are doing? The other one replies, I am going upstream and seeing if I can find out what is causing these people to end up in the river.
I used to tell people I have the best job in Prince George. Those were not just words, I believed those words. I don't know the day that it happened but something shifted. I suspect it could have been the pace of people who ended up in the river, or the fact that some of them would stumble back up the banks and fall into the river a few days later after drinking too much booze. It might have been around the time when I stumbled into the river myself and had to pull myself out, cause I didn't cry for help. You see I am the good swimmer, I don't want anyone to risk harm by helping me. At some point, I collapsed on the bank of the river and when it was my turn to jump in the river, my boss who intuitively knew better, put her hand on my back and said, "not today ... you need a break". Let me find someone else to sit by the river bank.
What appeared to be an eternity later, I was able to get the gumption to be ready to return to work, the difference this time was I got the opportunity to climb the river bank and start scouting upstream. I had the privilege of talking to people who were close to stumbling in the river. I hope to be the person, repairing the rope bridge, binding the holes and possibly making a more sturdy wooden bridge crossing. I have hope because if there is one thing I know ... it is this. I don't like having to rescue people from drowning I would much prefer to avoid them of falling in the first place. I also know that many people don't prefer to find themselves in the river. Too often drowning people are lectured while they are swimming, what caused them to fall, why are they in their circumstances, maybe they prefer having a cold swim. Whatever the cause, lets sit down by the river bank, talk about the sunshine and focus on living and breathing on land. Let's talk about the things in our life that give us purpose, that encourage us to put one foot in front of the other in the direction of health. That is my new purpose, to plant seeds of hope ... and for that I am extremely grateful.
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