Relationship Reflection

Relationship Reflection

Relationships are important for support and guidance.  People were not meant to wander this earth alone.  We are social beings who need others around.  We also need others to guide us in decision making and to listen.  It is often helpful for me to have someone who is a sounding board.  I may think ideas sound great in my head but when others listen to them they pose questions that make me rethink and evaluate my ideas.  They help me to clarify and solidify programs and decisions.

My support team

Mother-She supported me throughout my childhood and adult hood.  She has guided me emotionally and educationally in every way she could have, even if I did not agree with it.  She helped me by listening and questioning when things did not sound just right.

Diane- She is a colleague who has experience in the field as well as in life.  She can look at a situation from the perspective of a community member, parent, and teacher.  She helps me to look at my life as a professional and where I can make adjustments and refine my skills.  She is also willing to have me look at her professional skills and critique her as well.  We both understand the process and know that we are being objective observers.   

Donna-She is a good friend who gives emotional support.  She can be objective and is really good about listening to the whole idea before asking questions or finding the “holes” in the plan.  She helps me to back away from a situation and look at all the parts before jumping back into it.

Relationship challenges

Insights that I have gained from maintaining relationships over the past decade or so have been:

·         Life happens-people get married, move, have children, die

·         When one person moves on in life the others may not follow and that is hard

In my experiences I have realized that when you grow as a person whether professionally or emotionally not everyone accepts it.  You have to decide if that relationship is really meant to go anywhere.  When you grow some people get jealous or don’t understand why you would want to move in that direction.  I hope that as I grow and learn I will be accepting of others paths.

I hope that my experiences with others would make me more understanding and accepting of others.  I would like to think that I have become a reflective individual and I can look at myself as a person and professional and be objective.  I would like to take that reflection and use the information to become a stronger more educated professional in hopes to share my experience and insights with others who are willing to listen as well.  I would also like to listen to what they have learned and apply it as well.

I would also like to take this experience and work with parents who may not have the life experience that I have and guide them through some of the pitfalls that I have landed in.  I would like to help them avoid some of the hardships and hurt if at all possible.  I understand that a certain amount of pain is necessary in order for us to learn and I will be there to hold their hands and lend a shoulder when needed.