Determination to provide support, compassion, and acceptance is renewed

I am firmly planted in a season of life that can be best described with one word: exhausting. And it doesn't really matter what time of year it is—the exhaustion never ceases. Foolishly, I looked forward to summer, thinking it would bring with it a semblance of rest and relaxation. It has not.
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Camps, daycare, playdates, vacations, meals, home repairs, yard work—the list is endless. You know the list, because it resembles your own. And in the midst of taking care of all the needs of today, in the back of our minds we are preparing for the next season: school, sports, band, and clubs. Most of us know that it isn't enough to make it through today, we know we have to prepare for tomorrow.

Yesterday, as I rushed through the hallways of the Mission, hurrying from one thing to the next, I was brought to a halt. One of our resident mothers was decorating the Family Day Room for her daughter's birthday party. She was laughing and joyful as she and our Family Manager hung balloons and banners and wrapped gifts for her little girl. For that afternoon, she wasn't living in a shelter with her two little children, she was celebrating her precious girl's life.

It struck me just then how exhausted this mother must be. What must her day be like trying to make a shelter feel like a home? How many tears has she shed in frustration as she tries to find work, childcare, and plan for the school year—not knowing when she will be in a home of her own?  How many times has hopelessness overcome her as she struggled to leave behind bad habits and toxic relationships to embrace healthy new ones?

My exhaustion is not diminished because I have recognized hers. But my determination to provide support, compassion, and acceptance is renewed. And I know that I am not alone in this. When a volunteer gives their time, they are providing hope. Every time a community partner shares our burden, they are providing a lifeline. Every time someone gives a financial gift, they are providing a future. Together we can encourage others to continue their progress toward a better life.

Author: Joy Barger, Findlay City Mission

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