Bearing Witness

Any time I meet new people and tell them I am a social worker I hear, "I could never do that", "That must be so hard", "I admire you so much", and so forth. I never have felt comfortable having these kindly intended comments delivered to me. I know they are imagining what is likely the reality; a day in the life of any social worker involves supporting people during pain and suffering. They think that they could not handle it and want to share their belief that what I do is admirable and amazing to them.

My discomfort lies in the fact that bearing witness to people's pain, no matter how hard that may be for me, is actually a gift my clients give to me. There was the boy who, after 9-11, cowered behind the furniture every time a plane flew in the sky. I remember the pain of losing her brother completely shattering a young woman to the point where she wanted to take her life. Countless families I've supported have children who require so much of them, they struggle to find peace between grief and guilt so they can get through the day.

Were these moments painful for me to experience? Of course. My husband will tell you of the innumerable times I cried on his shoulder through the years. What has always helped me was holding the honor close; these amazing survivors were willing to share their pain with me. How many of us try to turn from our pain and avoid sharing it with others because it is so painful? Yet, I have been graced with people opening their wounds and letting me be there to listen to their stories.

I take with me each day wonder and amazement at the strength of the human spirit. It carries me through the dark times in my own life and helps me find my own will to endure. I find that the pain I witness is bearable so that these brave souls can feel heard without judgment and share their journey. They can leave behind a small bit of their load with me so that they can carry on.

I am grateful to all of you, the amazing people who have touched my life, allowing me to be a social worker in your lives. I'm sure you wouldn't believe it but to me, you are a large part of what makes this world, as crazy as it is, such a beautiful place.

Thank you for letting me be your witness.

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Counseling with Leigh Anne - a Teachers Pay Teacher store offering materials for mindfulness practice, expressive arts, and therapeutic approaches like ACT/CBT.