Since November 2000, I have been working as a social worker. In that time, I have become friends with many social workers i have had the privilege to work alongside.
I appreciate these people and the work they do every day – but March is social work appreciation month (as well as many other things, including MS awareness – shout out to my BFF who continues to kick MS ass on the daily). So, it feels fitting to blog about social work.
I can’t share specific stories because of this thing we call ethics and confidentiality (hence my struggle in developing some type of “the office” style mockumentary) but I can tell you that you don’t know it til you do it.
I see people with true humanity- people who believe in positive change and use themself as an instrument of it. I see people working with the same family struggling with the same issue for years , who celebrate these families incremental gains until the victory is no longer seeing them again.
Imagine the goal of your work being that no one needs you.
These people I am lucky to surround myself with 5 days a week for the past 19 years demonstrate the best of us – working with people who are at their worst. People who there but for the grace of God go I – because no one grows up aspiring to be an addict or a survivor of violence or a perpetrator of violence – no one grows up wanting to abuse or neglect children.
Somehow through the seriousness of our job responsibility we find laughter and friendship- a trauma bond? A kindred spirit ? But we social workers find one another through our shared purpose of trying to do our small part in making the world a better place – one person at a time – one interaction at a time.
I am thankful for you all. Keep on keeping on. Happy social worker appreciation month.
