I can't sleep. So I write.
I keep thinking about this past weekend's events.
It's funny when you think you have someone figured out only to learn they are not the person you thought they were. But now I know that's OK. That is what life is about-learning from your mistakes.
I remember when I left Glasgow and came to Western. I thought my life was figured out. I was going to go to school, graduate in four years, marry Andreu, support him through medical school, and by 30 we would have two kids and a couple of dogs...maybe even a cat.
Oh how I was wrong.
But that is also ok.
This common theme seems to reoccur in my life. I would expect that it occurs in everyone's. Life tends to throw us for loops occasionally...right at the moment when you think you have it figured out.
Why is that? I don't pretend to know the answer to that one.
But I have learned that no matter how hard you may try, you can't plan life, because right when you think you have it all together, your world can be turned upside down. And another thing I have learned...when your world is turned upside down, embrace it. Enjoy it. Hang upside down for as long as it takes, because it is at those times, when our world is upside down, that we learn. We grow. We change for the better.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Get On the Horse
For a class I had this spring, I had to complete 15 volunteer hours at a nonprofit organization. This is a lot easier said than done. In Bowling Green, you have to apply at most places in order to volunteer there. Why you have to pretty much sign your life away to volunteer will always be a mystery to me. But nonetheless, I applied at a few places around town hearing back from none of them. It was quite frustrating.
One day in class, we had a visitor from The Center for Courageous Kids. She told us about the center and what they do. She showed a heartfelt video. Yes, I cried in the middle of class while watching it. Her purpose for being there was to recruit volunteers for what they call "Family Weekends." After her presentation I was game. I figured I would go a few Saturdays and knock out my hours. When I asked her if I could do that her response was "Actually we recruit volunteers for entire weekends only. You would stay at the center for Friday and Saturday night."
I thought to myself "You can count me out."
Why would I want to spend an entire weekend at a camp for a stupid class?
But that ended up being my only option to fulfill the 15 hour requirement for my class. It was either a wasted weekend or fail the class. I chose the weekend.
I was told that the weekend I was going to volunteer was designed for children with SMA. I gave no thought to this.
So, on Friday April 16th, I headed to Scottsville and The Center for Courageous Kids in a bad mood.
When the other volunteers and I arrived we were given a breif history on SMA. SMA stands for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. What I heard was alarming, but still I did not think much about it.
Each volunteer is assigned a family. You go everywhere with you family, and assist them as much as they will allow.
I of course did not know what to expect so I was somewhat nervous. When I met my family, it was instant chemistry. The mother and father reminded me of my own family, and they had two girls: a four year old and a ten year old who had SMA. I fell in love with them!
Because I did not know anything about SMA going into the weekend, I entered it blind, but I came out with opened eyes to this terrible disease. The children could not walk. Some could not sit up on their own. Some could not sit up at all because of issues with their lungs. Others had to have their mouths suctioned and food blended because they could not swallow properly. Some had to have 24 hour feeding tubes, and still other were only able to communicate with their eyes. It was devistating.
But what I saw that weekend was beautiful. I witnessed children who cannot walk, cannot talk, cannot move...get on a horse, swim, go bowling.
I began the weekend with the purpose of getting my hours done for my class. But as it went on it became less and less about those hours and more and more about the children.
I thought I was doing the familes a favor by volunteering my time. But I was wrong. They taught me so much about life. Looking at the glass as half full is cliche saying, but I witnessed it first hand. In a child's life with SMA, they are constantly told what they can't do, but at camp they could do anything they wanted.
If a child who cannot walk or sit up on their own can get on a horse, then why should I let small obstacles drag me down? To often we let our circumstances dictate our attitudes and abilities. I don't want to sound too much like a cheesy motivationsl speaker, but sometimes we need to lay to rest the negative attitudes which are based on circumstances and just climb on the horse.
One day in class, we had a visitor from The Center for Courageous Kids. She told us about the center and what they do. She showed a heartfelt video. Yes, I cried in the middle of class while watching it. Her purpose for being there was to recruit volunteers for what they call "Family Weekends." After her presentation I was game. I figured I would go a few Saturdays and knock out my hours. When I asked her if I could do that her response was "Actually we recruit volunteers for entire weekends only. You would stay at the center for Friday and Saturday night."
I thought to myself "You can count me out."
Why would I want to spend an entire weekend at a camp for a stupid class?
But that ended up being my only option to fulfill the 15 hour requirement for my class. It was either a wasted weekend or fail the class. I chose the weekend.
I was told that the weekend I was going to volunteer was designed for children with SMA. I gave no thought to this.
So, on Friday April 16th, I headed to Scottsville and The Center for Courageous Kids in a bad mood.
When the other volunteers and I arrived we were given a breif history on SMA. SMA stands for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. What I heard was alarming, but still I did not think much about it.
Each volunteer is assigned a family. You go everywhere with you family, and assist them as much as they will allow.
I of course did not know what to expect so I was somewhat nervous. When I met my family, it was instant chemistry. The mother and father reminded me of my own family, and they had two girls: a four year old and a ten year old who had SMA. I fell in love with them!
Because I did not know anything about SMA going into the weekend, I entered it blind, but I came out with opened eyes to this terrible disease. The children could not walk. Some could not sit up on their own. Some could not sit up at all because of issues with their lungs. Others had to have their mouths suctioned and food blended because they could not swallow properly. Some had to have 24 hour feeding tubes, and still other were only able to communicate with their eyes. It was devistating.
But what I saw that weekend was beautiful. I witnessed children who cannot walk, cannot talk, cannot move...get on a horse, swim, go bowling.
I began the weekend with the purpose of getting my hours done for my class. But as it went on it became less and less about those hours and more and more about the children.
I thought I was doing the familes a favor by volunteering my time. But I was wrong. They taught me so much about life. Looking at the glass as half full is cliche saying, but I witnessed it first hand. In a child's life with SMA, they are constantly told what they can't do, but at camp they could do anything they wanted.
If a child who cannot walk or sit up on their own can get on a horse, then why should I let small obstacles drag me down? To often we let our circumstances dictate our attitudes and abilities. I don't want to sound too much like a cheesy motivationsl speaker, but sometimes we need to lay to rest the negative attitudes which are based on circumstances and just climb on the horse.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
So Much Paper
I recently started a new job on campus. I now understand why our tuition keeps going up. With the economy the way it is, I guess I figured that budgets may be cut to some degree. Wrong.
I have literally never witnessed so much paper being wasted, and it's not just paper. The other day I was told to make labels to place on boxes full of old records. First of all, why does Western feel the need to save 714 records from 40 years ago? The boxes that they were put in alone cost over $200.00. WHY?
So I made the labels the way my boss told me to. When I printed them out she proceeded to say "hmm...I think the font should be bigger."
One sheet of labels wasted.
So I made the font bigger and printed them once again.
"Well...I think there needs to be a colon here."
Two sheets of labels wasted.
I inserted the colon and printed again.
"There needs to be another colon here."
Three sheets of labels wasted.
Finally they were approved by her.
This is not the only instance of this. I have printed out 10 page spread sheets two and three times before simply because a line is missing here or a parenthenses there.
We place orders to Office Max weekly, sometimes twice a week.
They place signs in Mass Media saying that we need to quit wasting so much paper, but the departments are free to waste as much as possible?
It doesn't make sense to me. It seems like if the money was managed better between the departments we may not have to pay $90.00 just to park our car or $1000.00 for one class.
I don't consider myself to be a "green" freak. I still drink water bottles, and drive my car regularly. But I think it is rediculous to waste so much paper and supplies when it just isn't needed.
This is all.
I have literally never witnessed so much paper being wasted, and it's not just paper. The other day I was told to make labels to place on boxes full of old records. First of all, why does Western feel the need to save 714 records from 40 years ago? The boxes that they were put in alone cost over $200.00. WHY?
So I made the labels the way my boss told me to. When I printed them out she proceeded to say "hmm...I think the font should be bigger."
One sheet of labels wasted.
So I made the font bigger and printed them once again.
"Well...I think there needs to be a colon here."
Two sheets of labels wasted.
I inserted the colon and printed again.
"There needs to be another colon here."
Three sheets of labels wasted.
Finally they were approved by her.
This is not the only instance of this. I have printed out 10 page spread sheets two and three times before simply because a line is missing here or a parenthenses there.
We place orders to Office Max weekly, sometimes twice a week.
They place signs in Mass Media saying that we need to quit wasting so much paper, but the departments are free to waste as much as possible?
It doesn't make sense to me. It seems like if the money was managed better between the departments we may not have to pay $90.00 just to park our car or $1000.00 for one class.
I don't consider myself to be a "green" freak. I still drink water bottles, and drive my car regularly. But I think it is rediculous to waste so much paper and supplies when it just isn't needed.
This is all.
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