Today as I meditated, I was taken back to a pivotal time in my life - foster care.
This photo depicts a single day in a child’s life in foster care. Everyone who has a hand in your life touching, imprinting, helping, smearing, smashing, hurting. It may seem like it isn’t that important but, trust me, it is.
What happens if the person who birthed you doesn’t protect? What if you have to trust one of these hands?
Teacher, neighbor, friend, principal, crossing guard, police officer, store clerk, janitor, social worker, supervisor, judge, juvenile officer, counselor, foster parent. If even one of these people ignore your cry, doesn’t follow through on a task, ignores their ethics, doesn’t share your thoughts, doesn’t protect your confidence, doesn’t teach or offer guidance, doesn’t offer what they themselves might want, it changes your path. Yeah, it is that important.
As I switch roles from foster child to parent or therapist, the protector in me is strong - because it matters.
So, as you go about your day, remember that your effort, touch, imprint and help matters to the other person AND we are all the other person at one time or another.
