Date: 09 January 2009 13:06:16
I opened my mouth and agreed to it, that's how. But I'm not displeased, really.
I had a lovely morning back at my One Morning A Week volunteering activity. I had missed it more than I realised, and especially as it's something I think I should be working towards moving into as more of a proper job. So, I now find myself with a Two Morning a Week volunteering activity. It's quite intense work whilst I'm there, but having done it for a full year (before taking the break) after a fourteen year gap, I've caught up on the methods used now, and could be more help. So, I'm back with the same lot as I was with last year, but in their new setting, and then I'll be helping with the same age group as last year, but with a different set of people to get to know.
The irony of all of this is I trained as a teacher for this age range more than twenty years ago and failed. I vowed never to set foot in a classroom again. God always seems to have had other ideas. So, as a result of complex sets of circumstances, I have either found myself working as a classroom assistant (or whatever they are called nowadays, I lose track) especially for those with behaviour problems, or as some kind of troubleshooter in a class, or... whatever really!
The thing is, I may try to stop working with children and young people, or with music, or with creative liturgy, it just isn't going to happen. The complexities of the part of my life I don't blog about are such that all of those are difficult things to do... they are noisy, messy, unpredictable and awkwardly timed kinds of work. Last autumn proved to me several significant things about what happens to me, and how it then impacts on other people, if I don't do enough of the kind of activity that nourishes my soul. It wasn't just the stopping of one small-ish activity... it was much else besides.
So, I'm working towards how all of this is going to change so I can start building my life around all of the things I should be doing. And saying no to the things I can do perfectly well, (I've more than proved I can do more or less anything I'm asked - apart from gardening) but loathe doing.
Somehow.