"YOUTH COMES BUT ONCE IN A LIFETIME" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I am often asked the question of what I intend to do once I am done with graduate school. I realize, and you may have too, that I just started grad. school a mere month ago but as opposed to the undergraduate years I suppose the reality is that most people go into grad. school with a firm goal already in mind, desiring to attain that masters degree so as to continue on in that direction. The truth is, for the most part, I do know what I want to be doing, I'm just not sure in what fashion it will take shape. The program that I'm in is unique in that it does not lead to my being a licensed professional counselor, but rather it provides the core counseling skill-set and equips people to provide counseling in non-traditional counseling environments. My intention upon receiving my masters in human services counseling is to make a career out of working with an outreach ministry/organization where counseling is a component of their focus but being a therapist with a couch for someone to sprawl out on while they recount their childhood is not mandatory. The more concrete details about which ministry/organization, what population of people, etc. that I would work for/with is still up in the air at this point though. Each time I think of a different population that I might want to work with, be it teenagers, the impoverished, those making pregnancy/adoption decisions, or even just everyday people who need a listening ear, I get more uncertain about which direction I want to go in for each group has a piece of my heart. But I'm hoping that through the course of this year I will be able to figure out where the largest chunk of my heart lies, then I'll be able to fully answer that question that people are so fond of asking. As for now though, I can't deny that I'm feeling a tug on my heart to continue in the direction of working with youth (it's just a present thought, we'll see what the final decision ends up being). There's something so special, and yet, in so much need with that age-group. In a day and age where they practically are adults at the age of 13, now, more than ever, these young people are in need of guidance, care, and most importantly, love. In spending time working with both adolescents and children over the years I have vastly seen the importance of being involved in their lives and building some form of connection/relationship with them. They are hoping for someone, anyone, to be invested in them and it makes a world of difference to them during those years to not be going it alone. This reality is nothing new, and it most certainly is not trivial. Both my home church and the church I've started attending hit on the magnitude of this reality within the last couple of months. Although they didn't deliver the exact same message, I found it very impacting, and convicting, that both churches laid out the reality of what the life of today's youth looks like and made appeals that each and every one of us get involved in the life of a young person, whether they are our own (not my own, clearly) or some other youngster you have contact with. Remember the saying, "it takes a village to raise a child"? Well, it pretty much does. But the responsibility extends beyond childhood. The saying should really be "it takes a village to raise a person into adulthood." Even if a child, a teenager has involved parents, or a strong bond with their grandparents, or what have you, they could always stand to have one more person in their life who cares about them, they could always stand to have you in their life. For such a time as this, today's youth are worth investing in. Plus, they are some pretty amazing people. Think about the difference you could make, just think about it, I know I am.