Reflecting...

I have had a very busy week. It seems like a whirlwind which is usually how April goes. It has been a good week though. This week I was awarded Elementary School Counselor of the Year for my entire school district. Quite an honor. I am humbled, proud, surprised, shocked, and completely in awe all at the same time. It is a real honor to be chosen by your peers to receive such an award. Part of me is celebrating and part of me is wondering how I managed to be the winner. I am not one to put myself in the spotlight and I often wonder if people notice what I do or if it just happens behind the scenes. I guess they have noticed. It has caused me to look back on all that I have done in my career. You have dreams and aspirations when you leave school and head out into the big ol' world. Young, green, lots to learn. Then it seems you are 15 years down the road and some how you have become the expert in your field. Feels very strange and then I realize that maybe I am accomplishing what I set out to do in life. No, it was not to receive awards or recognition, it was to make a difference in someones life, to change the world for the better one person at a time. It was to help just one child make it through their parent's divorce, the death of a loved one, a move to a foster home, or walking them through getting help from abuse. I am privileged to do this everyday. To some that seems like a very hard job and some days it is. I love it though, it is my passion. I might complain about the number of students I have, pay cuts, lack of funding, and legislative interference but I go in everyday because I know for some kids I might be one bright spot in their day and if I am it is all worth it. So I am happy to be honored but I would do it all again with no recognition just to know that I made a difference in one small life. That is the heart of a school counselor.