Term Paper

I have had child welfare on my mind today.  Tomorrow I have another interview, and would love all your prayers and positive thoughts.  I truly believe God will put me where I am meant to be. 

There were some unusual circumstances about my application for this position--I can feel God all over it, just not sure if it means He wants me in that position or is using me in a way I can't yet see.  I have such a passion for social work and, even though I have a full-time job at home, I believe God also wants me to use my time and talents in a new way for HIM. 

I promised to share my final term paper for my MSW program, and so I will.  I also wanted to share how I went about writing so many term papers in the midst of life--for those of you also returning to college!  You Go!

My timer became my best friend.

I would decide ahead of time how many hours I was going to work on a paper.  Then, I would set the timer for a certain amount of time--usually one hour, but sometimes only 15 minutes.  At the end of the time, I would finish that thought, then put the paper away until the next session. keeping a culmination of my time. 

If I had an interruption during my time, I would simply consider it as part of the time--that kept me from becoming frustrated over interruptions.  Usually, I wrote when my kids were sleeping. 

A couple great tips when referencing is using an annotated bibliography and using sticky notes for referring back to textbook pages.  Owl Purdue was my online go-to writing assistant.  I usually wrote my full introduction of the paper at the end, using the traditional main topics and thesis statement model. 

I broke all the rules in my final paper, which I decided to write as a poem.  There were certain topics I had to address, and I've only included part of the final poem.  Hail to all my fellow social workers!

Frame of Reference: Reference of Frame

By Ann CrazyForKids

Who is working harder?  Me?  You?

I want to help.  Can I?  I can.  Help to want.  I. You.

Why?

Who wants change the most? 

Winds swirling into dust devils of rainbows and light.

Small drops of light.

Glistening thunder pounding in ears.

Peace.  If only for a day.

But scaffolding ever more.

I believe.  In you.  Will you believe in yourself?  In healing?  Wholeness.

Bits and pieces thrown black and bloody blue.  Broken.  Lost forever.

Found.

Pieced together.

Tracing refuge in the scars.  And stars.

Because of you and courage and strength.

The power of the human spirit.  You cling. I cling.

And it is okay to cry and I will hold your hand.-

I am here. With you.

Voice your strengths. Stone strong, peering ‘round dark corners.

And I will transparently share.  The invisible imagination.  For you.

“It is axiomatic that if a group actively avoids some major issue, then no other issue will be addressed effectively.” -

That we can do the work.  Work.  To do.

You and I.  And others. For

“It’s an extraordinary privilege to belong to the venerable and honorable guild of healers.” -

And interventions?

I speak of Narrative theory and greatest lesson learned: Listen.

Then listen more.

You tell the story.  Change it.  Or not.

Live.

Love.

Throw a pebble and watch the ripples cross the pond.

Drink the ocean to taste one drop.

Dreams, dreams and more dreams. 

We will not ignore “the royal road to the conscious.” =

Because Freud was not always wrong. -

Mesmerizing love of songbirds.  Drowning ravens squawks of disbelief.

And Attachment.

Mother, madre, meema?

Running to answer sweet lyrical cries.

Fingers securely grasped.  Or not.

Rock-a-bye baby.  Or not.

Cradle falling, grasped by lavender fairy wings or hairy beast.  Or both.

Disorganized.  The most heartbreaking of all.

Baby pushing back yet seeking exploding breast.

Come.

  Trist. Tryst. Traverse. 

Trust.

And Culture?

Forever striving to understand.

“It takes discipline to raise our gaze;

Look away from accustomed pain, anxiety, and worries and truly see the world

Through different eyes.” /

Brown, blue, gray, black.

Stripped tiger green.

Strengths found.  I am asking.

And listening.

“By being compassionate to ourselves and others, we ground ourselves.” #

To be the change we wish to see in the world. >

I seek to understand.

How can I?

I can. Can I. How.  Wo hi nacnac I.

Because bolts of lightning still rise from the ground

But are only seen in the crackling sky.

And we will find shelter together.

And Limitations?

I am strong.

Strong am I.

And where are the volcanic scars?

Weak. Weak am I.

Bitter desperation buried.  Years of rumbling pain.

Yet delight with twinkling eyes.

“If we are truly to know joy, we cannot afford to shut down our experience of pain.” #

And how.

Allowing pain to emerge while finding

Empowerment.  Power meant.  For me.  For you.

Twinkle twinkle little star

I have come so very far.

Where is light that shines so bright?

Going down while seeking night.

Run.

Or not.

Rest.

Destiny of paths intertwined.

Always remembering

“An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet,

Regardless of time, place, or circumstance.

The thread may stretch or tangle but

Will never break.” <

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.

Or not.

References

-Yalom Gift of Therapy, # Laura van Dernoot Lipsky Trauma Stewardship, = Freud, *Bowen,      

^Bowlby and Ainsworth, ~NASW Code of Ethics, / Deepak Chopra,  > Mahatma Gandhi

     <Ancient Chinese Proverb