The power of facebook and a well-placed kick in the ass

You know how to tell the great friends from the good friends? The good ones are sweet, kind, there when you need a boost or a hug. The great friends are the ones who know you so well and love you so much that they aren't afraid to kick you square in the ass and tell you to snap out of it. Dana Anderson- my mentor and former professor from PLU- is one such friend.

Despite feeling like I have gotten a little more confident and competent each week that I've been here, it's not been a perfectly linear process. Apparently some of my posts on facebook have indicated that my attitude toward grad school has been somewhat less than enthusiastic. I mean we all need a place to vent and get out our frustrations. I guess that my operating within a much more demanding time-management framework, I've begun to opt for the quick public quip on facebook instead of the more in-depth, more private rant on the blog.

At any rate, I got an email this morning from Dana that quite clearly and powerfully reminded me that I chose to do this. Additionally, he reminded me, that even more than that this experience is supposed to be tough. To truly become the kind of person who can work well and competently with peoples particular pain, suffering, diverse experience, and their corresponding journey to better deal with these things, doesn't that ask of all us potential practitioners, that we do likewise?! If we are to talk the talk, we better walk the walk. Perhaps most poignantly, he reminded me that the sooner I'm able to view the challenges as hurdles to master (not just hoops that must be jumped through)- I'll be better able to appreciate the process of graduate school growth.

As fate would have it, I was just waking up in my morning mental fog, when I started reading Dana's email. As I began my day with my usual French-press ritual, I realized while reading his sharp but timely words, that I was drinking out of my PLU coffee mug! I love little moments like that.

Thanks for the well-placed kick Dana-