~~Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It's simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of "You're not alone".~~ Unknown
For the past 20+ years, I have worked with broken families. I have been in their homes, I have removed their children, I have reunified them and I have worked to terminating parental rights. I have listened, held, helped, referred, reasoned with, understood, railed against, and felt so much of what they felt. I have been a child's only friend and I have been a parent's rock. I've heard it all, I've seen most all, and I've been amazed, horrified, grateful, hopeful. Only this past year has it devastated me. The murder of a 3 year old...the suicide of a 7 year old...the leftover destruction of the siblings left behind.
So I came back here. To listen. To encourage. To make sure that quitters who felt alone and helpless knew that they weren't.
Because it's so important to me to give hope to the hopeless. To bring light to those in darkness. To provide something to those who think they have nothing. My work with broken families makes me want to bring something good to those who live in less than good.
I don't care if anyone responds to what I write. That's not why I write. I do it so maybe one person nods and says "I get it." I do it so one person may feel a moment of warmth...a glimmer of hope...a bit of peace.
I need to make some life changes. It's time to leave my career field and work in lightness, hope, and love. I've been tearing up too often lately to ignore the signs of burnout. I take home with me the despair of these babies and the hopelessness of these parents. It's time to let go and help in some other way.
But until those changes are made, I come here. I know what it's like to quit. I know the fear and the isolation and the helplessness. So I try to share what I know now. That you can quit. That you do matter. That we understand.
It was a bad morning for me but that's because it was a bad morning for a family going through trauma. So I came here to let you know why I come here. I thought it might get you to know me just a little bit.
Sheri
