Today, as part of my practicum work, I ran two sessions on bullying at camp and abuse & disclosure. To be totally honest, I was so nervous.
I wanted to make sure that I was communicating the best I could, equipping the (entire) camp staff with the information and tools needed to deal with these issues.
I also wanted to make sure that these kids would be safe and cared for, no matter what had happened to them in the past or what is happening to them currently.
I'm in school for a Social Science degree, with a concentration in Counselling - I had this plan to go into a Masters of Social Work or Counselling and work with women or children in abusive situations... but I don't think I ever really felt as convicted in my studies until now. After researching, talking to RCMP officers, and learning about interviewing children, I've had this knot of anticipation growing in my stomach, like this excitable passion and deep care for these issues. Like, I actually care about sharing this information to the staff, and I actually care that these kids are being taken care of.
This is (k)not really a new experience - I've had knots and passions like this before. But never so clearly have I seen my future in these passions. I'm at this age now where I'm figuring out what I can reasonably do for a career, which is scary as well as exciting. And it's especially exciting when seemingly inconsequential situations just fall into a place where passion and purpose meet..
I ended up in university because all my friends were going to the same one. Some strangers from BC ended up coming to the same university, either thinking it was just going to be a year or having plans in the minds that changed as time went on. We didn't really think about it. My original roommate dropped out before September, and my actual roommate needed a roommate after only deciding she was coming back a few weeks before. We all ended up on the same floor, ended up getting along, ended up bonding over drinks and similar experiences of being new and shy. Those strangers became some of my best friends within such a short amount of time, that I couldn't even (and still can't) believe that such friendships could happen.
Despite hating the Intro Psychology courses, I decided to power through and try other specified Psych courses, and ended up falling in love with curiosity and the human psyche.
One of those strangers talked about her experience working up at a camp in BC. My roommate decided to try it for a summer. Coming back with a sun-kissed tan full of memories, she encouraged me to apply. I did, despite the fact that I'd hope to stay in Winnipeg for sake of ease. It certainly wasn't an easy decision or an easy summer, but I ended up being sucked into this incredible community of caring Christians and expanding my idea of what it meant to be "Christian."
And after the hardest year of my life, I decided to come back - this time, camp was an easy choice because I needed a social service practicum.
And here I am. Not really knowing what will happen this summer, what I will learn, how I will grow and be challenged, and not really knowing where the choices I make now will take me later.
But I'm excited to continue and to look back and see all the inconsequential choices adding up to a less-than inconsequential path.
No comments:
Post a Comment