better.

real quick.

just got home from working on girl's unit and wanted to write this while it's fresh.

my hope in humanity has been restored. (like always, right?)

so tomorrow when i have time, i'm planning to tell the whole sexual harassment story and such, but for tonight, i want to say today i stood up for myself and that isn't something i'm used to doing when it has to do with uncomfortable sexual situations. surprise, it's very empowering!

also, i love the girls so very much! tonight was one of those nights i could almost forget they are substance abusers and not just kids hanging out and eating brownies with their girlfriends. until, you know, they make a meth joke or have a phone call with their mentally ill mom that ends with screaming and crying. we sang together, played piano, made dream catchers, told jokes, and even "spit some rhymes" aka, "rapped." and did the "all the single ladies" beyonce dance. these are girls who have stories to tell and most of them are tragic. they have experienced heartache and betrayal to a degree i'll never understand. and yet they still laugh, dance, sing, and eat brownies. they are resilient. i can be too.

i'm way too attached. what's going to happen to these girls? where will they end up? how are they going to be okay?

they have taught me so many things. once, while working on boy's unit, we were making para cord bracelets. one of the boys wanted a certain color and was being shy about it. "speak up" i told him. "if you want something, don't be afraid to ask for it." later that night, i needed to know something and was feeling a little intimidated asking. that boy repeated my words back to me. it really hit me in that moment, a 15 year old boy who was locked up for assaulting cops and dealing drugs, giving me much needed encouragement and advice.

everything happens for a reason. i'll be sad to leave this job, but i am thankful for the lessons i have learned from these 16 drug addicts.

we are all given different circumstances and trials for a reason. we have the opportunity to learn from them and become stronger. i'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to do this job, even if it is heartbreaking and difficult.

thank you for the encouragement. life really is wonderful, guys.
keep spreading that love around. :)

xo