What to say?
Yesterday was a good day. We had long since planned for St Pat's day to be when we'd try to stay all morning at the clinic, and I wasn't sure what to expect with that for several reasons. Would I get fidgety and lose focus? I can have a short attention span sometimes... Would I need to break away for a bit? I'm not really well known for my stamina and endurance. :) There was the added question mark of how I would handle being a counselor if Brian should ask me to. I hadn't taken on that role in a long time, and it can be intimidating if you think about it to much. We had a ton of people show up for the prayer group, way more than I expected - though I should have known the bishop's rock-star draw would have an affect. Brian walked over to me with a smile and I knew what was coming :) But with the kind of support we had with prayer it felt so much better to be out there as counselor. I don't think they realized the difference they made.
I've done enough counseling in the early morning to know basically how that goes... some good responses, some cold - but no one was aggressive. There were definitely some heartbreaking situations that brought people there that day. So, so tough. Fortunately Brian got to talk to one of them for a little while, and I was so happy to see that warm handshake when they parted. There wasn't much anyone could do at that point to stop the process, but he was able to give comfort and kindness to someone who really needed it. Soon the morning wore on, and people began to come out. That is an entirely separate ballgame from when people go in, and it was harder for me to see than I thought it would be. There are support groups out there filled with women who've been through this before and worked past it, but when you see someone come out of that place dazed and in shock - it's difficult to reach through the blankness to tell them about it and offer encouragement. Some of them don't even get out of the parking lot before they are in tears and it's heartbreaking.
My bro cheered me up over a handful of grade-F beef tacos from Taco Bell after we left, and combined with a good long nap I was ready for a little Justin-birthday celebrating down at the saucer. A very little birthday celebrating :) Definitely good times, but I still got a bit tired after a few hours despite my nap, and the real killer of an incredibly smokey bar started making my eyes burn so bad I couldn't stop rubbing them and tearing up (though the tears may have also been due to laughing so hard I couldn't breathe). Anyways, my eyes were stinging! Sigh. I'm such an old lady :) It was hysterical all evening though, those people crack me up. Am looking forward to a little centennial park cook-out action with them soon.
I've done enough counseling in the early morning to know basically how that goes... some good responses, some cold - but no one was aggressive. There were definitely some heartbreaking situations that brought people there that day. So, so tough. Fortunately Brian got to talk to one of them for a little while, and I was so happy to see that warm handshake when they parted. There wasn't much anyone could do at that point to stop the process, but he was able to give comfort and kindness to someone who really needed it. Soon the morning wore on, and people began to come out. That is an entirely separate ballgame from when people go in, and it was harder for me to see than I thought it would be. There are support groups out there filled with women who've been through this before and worked past it, but when you see someone come out of that place dazed and in shock - it's difficult to reach through the blankness to tell them about it and offer encouragement. Some of them don't even get out of the parking lot before they are in tears and it's heartbreaking.
My bro cheered me up over a handful of grade-F beef tacos from Taco Bell after we left, and combined with a good long nap I was ready for a little Justin-birthday celebrating down at the saucer. A very little birthday celebrating :) Definitely good times, but I still got a bit tired after a few hours despite my nap, and the real killer of an incredibly smokey bar started making my eyes burn so bad I couldn't stop rubbing them and tearing up (though the tears may have also been due to laughing so hard I couldn't breathe). Anyways, my eyes were stinging! Sigh. I'm such an old lady :) It was hysterical all evening though, those people crack me up. Am looking forward to a little centennial park cook-out action with them soon.