Day 20

Ok, tomorrow is three weeks and it is now becoming a little more challenging to choose the photos that go into the 365 Day Project. I realize that the Edges theme has taken an abstract form, but it is there. Right Jay?

So my day was back to back students again, students excited about coming back to school, students with crisies, students with misunderstandings, financial problems, parental problems, kid problems..... one right after another. I love them. They are wonderful. It is much more fun to have them on campus than not.



I must admit I'm having some difficulty knowing how much to talk about in these ramblings. I mean I don't want too many details of the hard stuff in my life to be out there in public, yet on the other hand part of doing this is illustrating how it all entwines to make one human being. I mean my life is so full of both sides. I have a student who is homeless. This is a student beautiful enough to be a model, solid, secure in herself, with really unhealthy parents who kick her out and criticize her for leaving. She finally left for good. Today I helped her find money for a down payment on an apartment. I'm going to help her learn how to interview peers to find a roommate. She'll be fine. This is why I do this stuff.

Now you ask me, how did I find the money? Well, 5 years ago I lost my very close friend to cancer. 1 year later, almost to the day, her husband, another close friend died of a heart attack. They had left their money to a community foundation, part of it to be used to help women in domestic violent situations who wanted to get out and go to school. I matched the two together. I am smiling tonight. I know that's exactly what Cynthia wanted done with that money. She felt lucky in her life in that she found supports to help her rise above a terrible home situation. This is what that money did today. Thanks guys!

Meanwhile as I was meeting with students, Emma came to work in the afternoon. The whole area around my office felt like a very cool supportive community. One student was accepted into a four year college, another one saw his brother for the first time in a while, another's four year drew us pictures, and Emma found cookies for everyone. The whole atmosphere was why I do the work I do.



After work Emma and I went to the River and played. I'm not good at playing at the moment. My knee is too vulnerable, but she found people and dogs to play with her. At the end of the afternoon we met her parents for Chinese and I came home here, exhausted. Needing to sleep.... really...... Besides shooting 159 photographs today, I saw 15 students, 3 children of students, 2 alums needing support and many colleagues who helped me solve problems. Yup..... I'm tired......