Recently I read the book Life of Pi by Yann Martel. Wow. So much to take in, so much so that I begged Gabe to go see the movie with me only a few weeks later when it came out in the theaters. The movie was beautiful, and it reminded me that even though we can't always see what is ahead of us, everything that is happening is happening for a reason.
A random memory popped into my head as I was pondering this. I had just graduated from college and I was working a job that I just couldn't handle at the time. I was project coordinator for an adult day center. We worked with the elderly, generally those suffering with Alzheimer's or Dementia. My job was to create the daily schedule of events / entertainment for the clients, choosing things that would help them to maintain the cognitive skills and abilities they still had while not challenging them too much. From my schedule of events my program assistants were supposed to actually preside over the events. However, because we were a very small non profit organization we were always understaffed and I ended up running most the events myself. On top of all of this I was also responsible for each clients monthly and annual write ups from the physicals the nurses would do for them. I had to notate not only their physical stats but I had to individual meetings with each of them and note any changes in mental or physical abilities.
I loved those clients more than life itself, but at 20 years old I just wasn't prepared to handle it. I was working all day and all night to try and get everything done, and I wasn't allowed overtime pay. I was also getting some attitude issues from some of the staff I was managing, they were not keen on the fact that I was 20 and their "superior" while they were at least twice my age with more experience in the field. I didn't let that stop me and I did eventually win them over.
I think all of this was manageable, but what really broke my heart was losing clients. In the short 3 months that I was there we lost 2 of my favorite clients. These people were more family to me in some ways than my own family, I certainly saw more of them and spent more time with them. I remember the day my favorite client Pete passed away, I went into the office and burst out crying. This was too much. I was too attached. And ultimately, I think this was the breaking point for me.
After leaving this job I was looking for something else I could do that would still make a difference in the world but that wouldn't drain my emotions quite so much. I applied for a position working with a company that helps rescue animals from shelters (way less emotionally draining... right.) I was qualified for the position and was excited to interview.
The interview went swimmingly well, until the interviewer referenced how she went to Westminster too and did drama with some of the same people. We started chit chatting and soon enough it came out that I fully well intended on continuing to act in my life. She told me that used to be her dream and then she got her position and she no longer had time for it. She told me that she wanted to offer me the position but was not going to because she didn't want me to give up on my dream because the job was too time consuming and demanding.
This had never happened to me before. I have pretty much gotten every job I have ever applied and interviewed for... have a great interviewing knack I guess hah. This was the first time someone wasn't offering me the position, on not based on age or qualifications, but simply because they didn't want me to lose my dream. At the time, I was so frustrated thinking I could have handled it. But now looking back I realize she was a little angel in my life keeping me on track. I am not meant to do something else, I am meant to act and to change the world through my art.
Anyway, I just thought I would share this little gem of a memory that hit me after watching Life of Pi. What moments in life have kept you on track?
