 Maybe this is going to sound a bit corny, but hey..I am a bit quirky and weird most of the time, so I might as well be corny too. Today I actually realized that I might be living my purpose already... I think about what I want to do in life, and I know the answer instantly - I want to help people and make the world a better place. It's always what I've wanted and recently I've realized that for the most part I actually get to do that. As in, I do that more often than not. I remember when I was in grad school being all excited when I found out there was a term for what I believed in, and wanting to tell everyone that this thing exists, and we can make it happen. The term is: " structural functionalism"... basically the idea that if you improve a persons life (or internal struggle), it can improve a family's life or a work life, and then in turn improve the world....in essence that our whole world can get better by helping the building blocks of the world (the people) improve. I still totally believe it.. heck, I even think I dated a guy longer than I should have once because he gave me a Mother Teresa quote that embodied the essence of it (well played, Casey). For those of you who are interested the quote says "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop" - Mother Teresa. Anyway, after work as I drive home I am often struck by what a privileged job I have. Not only do a I get to be a witness to other people's growth and journey through life, often being trusted with secrets, fears and dreams they are only beginning to unearth, but I also get to hear back about the differences that my clients are able to make in their lives (and the weirder part the differences they feel they are making because of things I have said, or how they view my vision of them). Recently a client of mine said "well I just thought about how you see me, and decided to be that person". (Holy crap, what a testament to the power of our beliefs and how we shape our identity). I get to see progress in a way that is so damn inspiring that it gives me faith in humanity on a pretty much daily basis. Yes, I hear terrible stories of trauma but in those stories I hear perseverance, strength and the development of character. I get to witness my clients learning about themselves, stretching themselves and even healing themselves. I also get to experience the trust of a client leaning into a challenge I have laid before them, and trusting that I have their best interest at heart. It's amazing. Part of me feels like an optimistic chump, to say that ever day I make a difference in people's lives, And big picture, I know the majority of it is not me, it's them. My clients are champions, but it feels dang good to know that for many of them I have been instrumental in their learning and healing process. Yes, sometimes the goal has more to do with reducing suffering than it does creating joy, but we are making room for the possibility of joy, and often that's a lot bigger deal than it sounds. Maybe it's a bit egocentric, but I truely do believe that I make a difference in my client's lives, and I know they make a difference in mine. And every day for a brief moment I am reminded that I am making the world a better place, hopefully one building block at a time.  Close up as same flower as above - see the Star of David with the shift in perspective? |
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Well, here it is the close of another year. Growing up I always thought New Years Eve was a stupid holiday, I mean what is really different one day to the next, every day is really the last of that day you'll ever experience, so I just didn't get the hype.
Now as a grown up (yes, I am) I still think it is a rather crap holiday, but it's a needed crap holiday. You see New Years Eve symbolizes HOPE, and we all need a bit more of that. It represent fresh beginnings, and an opportunity for things to be different. While every day actual holds this opportunity, it is hard for us to see it. It is human nature to become immune to the hope that springs up new with every rising of the sun, but on the days you can ward off the nature of taking things for granted...well those days are special. New Years is special because it allows you to do just that. Heck, it even encourages you to hold on to what you want most at midnight, and kiss it square on the lips (your welcome Skunk). So, this year I encourage you to hold on to Hope. Welcome it in your lives, and recognize that every day is a new beginning, and a chance to live the life that God has created you for. It could be even more awesome than you expect! Happy New Year!  Camels embrace the present. So can you. We are pattern people, it is human nature to live out reoccurring cycles of interaction, with our selves, others, and our environment. Every Friday I hear countless people exclaim TGIF (Thank God It's Friday), it's basically a once a week American Motto. And what happens on Monday??? People grumble, feel sleepy, and even get told they have a "case of the Mondays". People dread the beginning of another week. So, what's up with this? What really is so different between Mondays and Fridays. Well, it's obvious, they are both the onset of something new - a new week, or a new weekend. And most of us enjoy our weekends much more than our weeks. Mondays are symbolic of work, and routine, while weekends hold the possibility of freedom, choices, and fun. So, it makes sense that people get excited about the end of the week and beginning of the weekend. But what would it be like if we started experiencing Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and even Thursdays as Fridays? What if we simply woke up every days saying Thank God it's Today (TGIT). I don't want to act naive, I know there are responsibilities and things that make having a TGIT attitude harder to achieve, but it is possible. We can feel excited about a day, any day. It holds the same amount of time that Friday did, even if we spend 8 hours at the office first, there is still more hope left for the day, what are you doing to do with it? So today, I encourage you to not get caught up in the monotony, and dread that can happen. Instead, embrace today, and even if it is only for 5 minutes, do something fun and worth it. Make tonight a Friday night inside your head, and make it wonderful. You have that power. Today can be a great day, it's the only today you get. TGIT! |
Rebecca's Reflections
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