what are you doing that is of importance?

I continue to ask myself this as I move through the day: what are you doing that is of importance?

Today I sat a listened to a grade 9 girl talk about her situation. As I wandered about the classroom I asked the young girl in the purple and green hair what she was working on during the class. She explained she was doing a project on planning her future career.

I was curious as to what you wanted to do and she explained she was interested in being an artist, and she showed me some of her work, which was very good for a grade 9 student. As she showed me her work, she started talking about her move to the school from Mission, BC. She talked about how she missed her friends and hoped to go back for her 11 and grade 12 years.

She then went on to explain that she had moved to Surrey because her mom and dad had split up and she was with dad, because her step dad had physically and mentally abused her. She showed me the some of the scars her step father had inflicted on her when she was younger. She went on to explain that it took her a few years to not be afraid enough to tell a teacher and that social services had stepped in to remove her and that is how she ended up with dad. Her father, she explained would not let her visit mom, except when step dad was out of town. Dad was very protective she thought. I thought but did not say, that is what dads' sometimes have to be.

I listened as she talked and then she went back to work. From our discussions, I was sure she felt that she was being looked after by the system--to the best it could. I know the counsellors at the school and knew she could trust them to work in her best interest.

What I did of importance was not much, all I did was listen.  Sometimes I forget that even though I would love to save the world, all I can do is sometimes is to listen and be supportive. People will solve their own problems, if they know they have support. Who have you supported and listened to today?