Letter to a Young Social Worker

As I started packing this afternoon, I found a folder from my last semester as an undergraduate social work student that contained a journal assignment. The week before graduation, our professor asked us to write a letter to a young social worker who was just beginning her field placement.

Even though it is obviously huge part of my life, I don't blog much about what I do. But in honor of Social Work Month, I'm sharing this old letter. I hope it reminds you to hug your favorite social worker. If your favorite social worker happens to be me, I also like gift cards to the Home Depot.

Dear young social worker,

If you are like me, this letter finds you chomping at the bit to begin your field placement. You've done your reading, passed your tests, and written pages and pages of navel-gazing "self exploration essays." If you have to read or write the words "individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities," all strung together in a row one more time, you might scream. Because you know, like I knew, that you started this journey because you wanted to go and actually do something.

If you are like me, your heart is built a little different than most. It cares a lot. It feels burdened for justice. It is restless for change. People probably call you tender-hearted or remark that you have a big heart. Some may even describe it as bleeding. In any case, it is unique and undoubtedly one of your best qualities.

If you are like me, please heed this caution: social work is going to break your heart some times. I wish I could warn you more specifically, but we are all vulnerable to individual kinds of heartbreak. There may be days when you feel small or your paycheck feels small. Days when you can't see any progress or days when it feels like no one can see you. You may you watch your work seemingly unravel before you.

Your heart will break because this work that you do is incredibly difficult. Did someone forget to tell you that? Or, if you are like me, did you just not listen? 

It isn't for everyone. Undoubtedly, strangers have said to you, "I could never do that." Maybe you will try it and learn that you can't and that is okay. But most likely you will find that even though it is hard, you love it.
 
You will be reminded that you love it at least once a day. You will see little bits of light springing up all around you. If you hang in there long enough, you will witness the flow of the universe moving towards restoration. Wounds healed. Old made new. Captives freed. Lowly lifted and last made first.

Remember as you go about your work that the change you participate in is sacred. Honor it by taking pride in you what you do. Be grateful for the people you meet and revere the stories they let you take with you. 

Take heart,
Kassidy





 

We're Buying a House!

 

We have a contract on this sweet little house and if everything goes according to plan, we'll be homeowners by April! I'm just as surprised as you are.

We were not planning on buying a house for another year or two. But the more we thought about, talked about it, and prayed about it, the more sense it made.

We started researching neighborhoods, which meant people-watching at brunch and then going to open houses to see what our budget would get us in different parts of town. We also spent an insane amount of time looking at real estate websites and DVRed every episode of Property Virgins.

After church a few weeks ago, we decided to drive by this one house we saw online...

And I fell in love! I could not believe this neighborhood. There is a cute little park just around the corner that was full of families, a running trail that at the end of the street that goes all the way to the lake. It is a historic district with rolling hills and big trees. When I think about driving up to the house, it plays in slow motion.

Our realtor showed it to Derek while I was at work, and then took both of us on Saturday. This was the only house we really looked at together. My only regret is that we didn't get the chance to house hunt long enough to pretend like we were on HGTV.

"My biggest must have: MAN CAVE!"

"I don't know about it being right next to that school. Children are sooooooo loud."

"Honey, look at this closet! It's huge AND IT'S ALL FOR ME!"

"It's a nice house, but I really don't like how the neighbors can see us. I feel like they are right on top of us. We will probably need to install a 15' fence."

One thing we learned from watching so much HGTV was that if you have a small budget and you want to be in a great neighborhood, you are going to have to compromise. As we looked at houses, it almost became a game. "This house is great AND it's affordable," I would think. And then,"What is wrong with it?"

It was always something. Maybe it had an entirely concrete backyard. Maybe there was only one tiny closet in the entire house. Maybe the next door neighbor kept three shopping carts in his front yard.

In the case of our house, the answer is one bathroom...One very pink bathroom.

Across from the potty, there is a built in pink and blue tile vanity. I can't imagine why they wouldn't want to show that amazing feature online!

We have plans for the bathroom...and for the flooring in the sunroom...and for the landscaping...and for knocking down some walls...What have we gotten ourselves into?!

Even though it's going to be a lot of work, we are so grateful to have found a home we love and to be in the position to make it ours. I'll post more pictures and details as we get closer to closing.