I absolutely LOVE my job! There really is nothing like it out there. As a wilderness therapist, I work with both parents and their children. I work in an office and in the wilderness. I am bound by ethical and licensed boundaries, but the sky is the limit when I work with adolescents as we talk and play heart-to-heart.
I literally get to witness miracles, hearts changing before my eyes, boundless love, all while enjoying epic adventures in the woods! We sing, throw rocks, make skills, eat around the camp fire, and of course, do some very hard emotional work. It’s rare that one finds their passion and gets to live it—I am humbled and grateful for being part of ANASAZI.
At ANASAZI we have Nine Core Beliefs we live by and I wanted to share the third one with you today:
We believe all the YoungWalkers respond to patient love and that the principles taught by the Creator provide ample opportunities for the growth of love and respect between all peoples. We, therefore, strive to exemplify those principles daily on the trail by patiently waiting upon each YoungWalker to respond to their own awakenings and the good teachings of the ANASAZI Way.
Awakenings can come at any time and in any situation. One of my favorite things as a Shadow (therapist) is listening as my YoungWalkers share their awakenings. I am continually amazed at what Mother Earth and the Creator teach them in their walking. I was given permission to share an awakening of one my YoungWalkers that happened just the other day.
The girls band (group of adolescent clients) had been hiking quite a bit, and they had to dry camp (no water) the night before so they were all very thirsty. At the end of long hiking day, they happened upon a little puddle. My YoungWalker said, “I was so happy to see that little puddle—it just brought me so much hope.”
She had learned a lot from that little puddle, and couldn’t wait to share her awakening with me. She said, “After my experience of how excited I was to finally see water at the end of the day, I realized that I need to be much more like that little puddle. I hope that when people meet me I can bring them hope and refresh their souls—just like that little puddle.” I love that!
Who knew that a muddy, little puddle could bring about so much hope.
I don’t know what long, tiresome “trail” you are hiking or how long it’s been since your last drink of “water”, but I hope you can find hope in the little “puddles” precariously placed in your path!
