Why do people hurt the ones they love? After 31 years in the Human Services field, I am no closer to the answer than I was when I started. The speculation differs from person to person based on the narrative in their head. From working in both Mississippi and Alabama, I have heard all of … Continue reading The Sins of the Father
One Starfish at a Time
Beverly was only hours old when her mother plodded into the emergency room: sick, tired and covered in sweat. Like a cobbled horse, she limped towards the triage nurse whose eyes were focused on the clipboard in her hands. "Please" The whisper, fierce with pain, caught the nurse's attention. Nurse Anna put down the clipboard … Continue reading One Starfish at a Time
Forming a Tribe
A lesson I learned over 30 years ago still rings true today. We need to belong. We need a tribe. We need others to help us get through the hard things in life. We were not meant to struggle alone. High School is hard. Belonging to a tribe helps us to navigate through, not only … Continue reading Forming a Tribe
Bethioua and the Ugly American
When I was 18 years old I spent the second of two summers in Bethioua, Algeria with my parents. The first summer I enjoyed immensely, but my newly found independence (being 18 and all) coupled with my false sense of entitlement contributed to the disaster that was my second summer. In Bethioua, my parents lived … Continue reading Bethioua and the Ugly American
The Parable
Becoming a social worker was not the plan I had for my life. As I have often said, I backed into the career totally blind to the mission of Child Welfare. I might not have ever found my calling had not DHS been the only agency hiring. Graduating college as an English major, my choices … Continue reading The Parable
Finding your courage
What are you afraid of? What are your nightmares made of? I have the normal garden variety fears...snakes, spiders, tornados...King Kong (Dont judge me, he was very scary!). But one of my biggest fears involves an insect. The giant grasshopper. I remember one summer vividly, the horrifying images etched into my brain. My family had … Continue reading Finding your courage
And also the Others
May is National Foster Month. Designated such by President Reagan in 1988 to bring awareness to the needs of children in foster care. Children who were unable to live safely with their parents necessitating their entry into a broken foster care system. Foster Children often enter care with scars; some are physical, some are emotional … Continue reading And also the Others
Surviving the Tornado
The Tornado Hits Moody, Al. It was April 27, 2011. The meteorologists had been predicting an afternoon full of dangerous weather. We were repeatedly warned of a significant tornado outbreak. Having never been a fan of bad weather, I decided to monitor the situation very closely starting at noon. So as I went to bed … Continue reading Surviving the Tornado
He ain’t Heavy…
The road is long With many a winding turn That leads us to where who knows where? But I'm strong Strong enough to carry Carry him He aint heavy He's my brother. Bobby Scott and Bob Russell I am going to date myself, but when I was a young girl, I heard this ballad covered … Continue reading He ain’t Heavy…
Martha Got a Bad Rap!
Setting up for a large event, there was still some last minute preparation needed before the participants arrived. As I looked over the room, I noticed two staff members. They held the same rank and had the same years of experience. And both were excellent leaders. But at that moment, there existed a very different … Continue reading Martha Got a Bad Rap!
Water for Camels 