Some days being a religious educator can get tiring, I will spend my days trying to pull volunteers together, write out emails to various committees, plan for the upcoming months, start on arts and crafts so there is always a model for Sunday mornings, and I make sure that I am taken care of spiritually myself. Yes, like most things I have those throw in the towel moments where I just want to stop and go get myself an office job where I don't have to be responsible for instilling morals and faith values into the children and youth of our congregation. But I never do, I always find that silver lining that will keep me going another day. I am a firm believer that your calling in life doesn't just come to you without hard work or a little struggle now and again. My lessons are never going to end in the career I have chosen, I will never stop being the advocate for our children and youth and try my hardest to get them what I believe will help benefit them. I'll never stop asking parents and congregation members to volunteer their time to help show that the next generation matters. I will never stop embarrassing all of the children and youth in our program by telling stories about them, and doing super nerdy dances when I get really excited about a lesson I am teaching. This is what makes me, this job helps define me and I help define this job.
On crazy days where I just can't catch a break and I feel like dunking my head in some cold water to catch my breath, I always find myself snuggled on my oversized chair drinking a cup of something warm, depending on the day it will be some tea or a giant cup of coffee. In that small time of reflection and quiet I am able to think about why I do what I do. Why I constantly look like I am flying by the seat of my pants to the congregation some days, and why my mind runs a million miles an hour. I do this because I want to help change the world, and the only way to do that is to tell your truth to those who will listen, and my audience happens to be kindergarteners through high schoolers. They will tell me when I am crazy and they will listen when I make them. Even though they may not agree with everything I say, I am helping them create critical thinking skills so they can form their own opinions and that is changing the world. If we all just had someone supporting us, telling us to think for ourselves, and loving us no matter what our truth is I think we could make some serious change.
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