Shades of promise hang in the air this campervan morning. Although an early morning dampness and chill surrounds me, there is a promise of warmth to come. The sky is a hazy blue with scattered thinning cloud. That sense of autumn still sits in the air this morning, has it as done for a good few weeks now. I have crows sitting in the oak above me and in the ash close by, as well as impassioned conversations and calls coming from crows unseen. It appears to be a crow morning, with the exception of a pair of magpies sitting atop and dancing around rooftops. As the crows make the decision to move on, the soundscape shifts to smaller birdsong begins to emerge as if from nowhere, most of which still remain unknown to me except that of a robin. The week continues to rumble on and yesterdays work with homeless teenagers and young adults sits with me still, even this morning under the oak. Another young man crossed my drumming path after a break, who I have been drumming with off and on for the last 12 years or so from a very young boy to now a young man. We first came across each other in an additional needs school where I ran regular sessions, then various additional needs respite and play centres over the years and now at a residential centre. He loves drumming and loves to call a stop cut or a rumble, but it’s always just so lovely to see him and see how he has grown into a lovely, caring young man. The fabulous support he has had from his family, schools and charities to get him to where he is and the sacrifices his family have made to get him to where he is. It’s the part of the work that I love, the people, groups and communities that you meet, the conversations you have and the growth you witness. They are almost always on the fringes of society. However the impact they have on me is perhaps the most important. It’s a two way engagement. The education, the softening, the understanding, the challenges that they bring. If I had not made the decision to change direction, become uncomfortable where I was and challenge myself to change then I would not have met any of these people and have no understanding of who they are, what they bring and how they have developed me. Bit of a self indulgent ramble this morning. Lovely days people.
Used this quote before, but it feels relevant and add on young adults as well.
“ The soul is healed by being with children.” Dostoevsky.
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