In Another time...

I have wondered occasionally, where my desire to help people and thus choosing a career as a counsellor came from – ancestrally speaking. It's not hard to find clues: I have aunts and other distant relatives who work in the mental health/social services fields; and the Mennonite faith and culture I was raised in is all about building community by lending a helping hand to those in need. But the other week I had the wonderful privilege of working on a 2-day project with my Grandma that gave us an opportunity to talk and connect in a way we hadn't before, and I learned a few things about her:

In another time I think my Grandma would have been a social-psychology major at university, offering insights to conversations about the ways and reasons people interact and engage in life – insights that are not so different from my own.

In another time I think my Grandma would have followed the voice she hears telling her that someone is in need of support, and chosen a career based on this calling.
In another time I think my Grandma would have surrounded herself with people from all walks of life, offering herself to them as a support, a confidant, a friend.

The thing is, she does all those things less formally now by sharing her own story of strength, perseverance, and connection; by listening, caring, and brewing a cup of tea.

In another time I think my Grandma would have followed a career path not so different from my own.

In another time I think my Grandma would have been an amazing counsellor.

In this time, she already is!