I have previously shared a bit about our family’s journey to safety, health and happiness (https://www.eight2eightpursuits.com/post/trading-a-year-for-a-lifetime). If you have followed along, you know that our daughter spent time in the Utah desert at a wilderness therapy program and is currently attending a therapeutic boarding school.
I decided to start writing about our journey in the hopes of encouraging parents and families who have a young person who is hurting and in need. I would like to provide a few words of hope and a listening ear.
I was never very good at “journaling”…I did not keep a diary as a young girl and frankly never saw the point. One year I decided to record events or thoughts that made me grateful – when I found the notebook not too long ago, it was heart-warming to be reminded of my many blessings – so maybe I started to get the point.
As we were sending our daughter to wilderness, I started a journal (that sorta turned into this blog) with the vague thought that the writings might someday be helpful to others. I titled my journal “Day Zero” but the first entry was actually “Day Minus 3”. That first entry (just days before our daughter was to, unknown to her, leave) makes me weep, especially the part where she notices that I am acting a bit differently.
But as hard as it is to look at these weeks of journal entries, I am filled with hope! There was such despair that has now been replaced with trepidatious excitement for the future.
These days, I have a habit of daily journaling - it is combination to-do list, calendar, habit-tracker, gratitude list, prayer list, inspirational message, and goal tracking document that I write out each day in a spiral notebook. Putting my prayers to paper, thoughtfully considering why I am grateful, and deciding what I choose to be inspired by each day has been a wholly grounding exercise for me that I now miss if I get behind. Here's today's unfinished entry - I guess I have not figured out all that I am grateful for quite yet. If you cannot read my "inspiration" it comes from Jesus Calling and says "Because I (God) am your constant companion, there should be a lightness to your step".
We all struggle with something in our lives. Perhaps committing your struggle to pen and paper (or keyboard and screen) will encourage you. One day, this struggle will lessen its toll on your life, and you can gratefully reflect on the outcome or progress that has been made.
If it would be helpful to know the resources our family has used to seek help and healing:
The Envoy Group (https://www.theenvoygroup.com/) assists families, at no charge, in finding the right wilderness program, therapeutic boarding school or residential treatment center.
StarGuides (https://starguideswilderness.com/) helps both boys and girls break dangerous addictions through therapeutic wilderness experiences in the beautiful Utah desert.
Comments