Support

The Clinic is undergoing a whole lot of change.  Transition is an understatement.  Following the staff support group on Tuesday, we looked at the chairs, arranged in a circle for the group, and thought to put them back the way they had been.  We didn*t.   We put them back in a different way, so people might talk with one another while they wait for services.  I have no idea what happened to the chairs on Wednesday.  I do know there was energy present in the room when we left.  I believe it has something to do with mutual support.

Sometimes support means

Simply

To gather the wherewithal

To switch

The seating arrangement.

Sometimes

All that is required

Is to offer a different seat,

Something as simple

As sitting

In a different place.

I have done this before

Myself.

Now I counsel others

To consider the same thing.

Sometimes the first step

To regain control

Is to determine

Where to sit,

Only then  

May we grant to others

The very same

Possibility.

Volunteer

Today I begin to coordinate a support group for staff at the Clinic where I volunteer.  When I volunteered to do this, the group was thought to address one issue.  Last week one of the two clinic sites completely flooded, destroying all the records.  That site will not re-open, and all the staff and patients have been consolidated to one location.  Yesterday was the first day with everyone together.  When people gather this afternoon, we will see what is needed.

Amazing are the things

Which need

A volunteer.

I count hours as a counselor

Volunteer

For free supervision.

Still it seems

Nothing ever really

Comes free.

Unknown strings,

Untied shoelaces

Trip me up,

No matter how much

Volunteer paperwork

I turn in.

There are always more I-s to be dotted,

T-s to be crossed.

The last jot and tittle

Won*t be discovered

Until after everything we know

Has been said and done.

Still amazing

Those things which require

A volunteer,

No tit for tat

Nothing ventured

Nothing gained

Nothing ever quite

What it seems.

There is more than enough

Volunteer work,

Free supervision

Or not.

There is always more than enough.

Every single bit counts.

We will know where it figures into the big picture

When all is said and done,

When the very last piece

Is set in place.

Support

I often talk with clients about the value of seeing and talking about things outside the confines of our singular mind.  Things often look different in the light.  I am in a place of change, particularly change of my support network.  I realize as I look at the pieces on my desk: my desk is full... my life is full ... I am already living in a sort of paradigm shift.  There is already a different currency exchange.

It is almost noon.

I lay my support

On the desk

In front of me.

I note the pieces

Which go together:

Who stands on whose shoulders;

Who is missing;

Who might be

Added

To the mix.

I would like

To barter,

Trade support

For support.

I imagine a world

Where no one pays

For anything,

Everything is offered

Freely

Around kitchen tables.

I imagine

A world that runs

On different currency.

I realize

I am wealthy in support

Of all kinds.

My desk is full.

I realize

I am full.