Love doesn't happen haphazardly. It is a conscious decision.
Be patient with teenagers.
A hand on someones shoulder can calm someone down faster than a thousand comforting words.
If you wake up with gnats all over you... You better bring a rain jacket.
Don't snap at children when they make racist/ sexist/ other discriminatory comments... But do ask a million questions to help them understand what they are saying.
Shower. Read. Write. Sleep.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Tonight I told my boys I'd be peeing in a bucket and that it would go in my tent with me while I slept... (just as i did when i was in a girls group) And after a moment of awkward silence where everyone was busy mentally dissecting the fact that my pissing ritual is different from theirs, my quietest most supportive camper said " uh uh chief it ain't gonna go down like that".
I'm still in my tent laughing. I dunno... Guess you had to be there? But gah I love my little chivalrous juvies!!!
Cleaning out my car was like cleaning out my brain. So therapeutic!
So here's an update on the goings-on in my life.
There are only 4 out of 12 girls left in my original group. Some graduated successfully, and others were exited (meaning they left the program "unsuccessfully"). The hardest thing about this job has been letting go of these kids, and knowing that there are some I can only help so much.
I'm going to a boys group permanently starting tomorrow. I'm definitely gonna miss working with my girls, but this will be a nice change. So far every time I've been in a boys group, I've had an awesome time. They've been very physically active, whereas my girls seemed to loathe hiking anywhere or partaking in group games. I could go on about this, but if pictures/videos are worth a thousand words then I'll spare myself some typing:
I checked into a Motel 6 so that I could have some time alone and that I could just sit and write. I feel I've got a lot of important things I need to get out, but at the same time I don't really have anything of importance to say at all.
I really just wanna go clean out my car. I bet if I had a clean car I wouldn't have had to pull into a Motel 6 to think... Yes... I'll go clean out my car...
