I'm really going to miss working at The Journey. Alright, organizing papers and meticulously auditing files will not be longed for when I'm done (though my office buddies will be missed), but the part of my job where I get to work with the kids will definitely hold a tender spot in my heart. These guys are incredible and are doing something much more than learning how to live and maintain a sober life. They are turning their whole world around. For some, all that was known in their lives up until now was drugs, gangs, and sex. A happy life is something of a foreign state. Others grew up in a fairly secure home, but within a short time had nearly destroyed all trust from their loved ones. Though some kids make it obvious that they have no interest of sincerely changing, there are those who understand that they have potential to regain what they lost (love, trust, futures) if they work hard and make a change. I love the kids and I am so grateful that I was able to work just a little bit with them before I leave. I have learned a lot about myself by working here, and more than anything I've learned a lot from the kids.
It is fitting that in our office we have a sign hung up that says "Find Joy in the Journey," since, as mentioned above the company is called "They Journey." And what a beautiful reminder for us to trek forward with a positive perspective. It makes me think of a talk given at a fireside by Brad Wilcox a few years ago. He said "If you can laugh with it, you can live with it." Which reminds me (even though this isn't really relevant) that my family during dinner tonight started talking about one of our former pet birds. Little bird was a finch, who, through a slightly comical and a very unfortunate series of events, found death. As my dad was telling the story of what happened he started laughing, a lot. Soon my whole family (though Cali thought were all heartless), was nearly rolling in laughter. Okay, so maybe we are heartless, I guess you just had to be there... Anyway, back to what I was saying... President Monson's talk this October's session of Conference Finding Joy in the Journey was a bright message of hope and perspective. To live each day to it's fullest. He pleads with us to "not let the most important things in life pass you by...but to instead, find joy in the journey-now." Life is ever changing, and some change, like with the Journey kids is needed, and some is inevitable. Whatever change finds us in whichever state, let us try to find joy in it.
And when I left, a couple of the kids made me some bomb art work that I wanted to share with the world.
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Check out this beautiful piece. Can you find the hidden word?? It took me a minute.
1 comment:
You've had several experiences in the last couple of years, all of which will serve you later when things are tough. This next newest experience will be no different, you'll find out a lot about yourself and others that will help you in years to come.
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