Yesterday was my last day of work, and everyone is asking how I feel. I feel like it's the weekend and I will have to go back. I'm a little sad, wondering what happened to a few clients. But I didn't always see them again anyway. Sometimes they moved or another staff person would happen to see them, that's just how it is. I'll miss speaking Spanish with them and hearing their stories. One of the most amazing stories I heard was when I was helping this client, a mom. She was all ready to go, and then she asked if she could ask a question, her son was three and she was looking for school for him. Then she went into telling a bunch of stories that were circularly but not linearly related. Her son was doing normal three year old behavior (in my opinion), but the lady taking care of him said he was a bad child and the mom was very worried about it. The lady said he was bad at sharing because he didn't have a sibling, and that she should have another baby so he would learn how to behave. The mom explained that she couldn't have another child, because she had suffered so much carrying him. She actually crossed the border pregnant with him, and went three days thirsty and hungry through the desert. She feel twice with him and thought she would never deliver. She had medical problems during the pregnancy, and he was born very small. And now he is completely healthy and normal for his age, her "miracle child". That is why it is so important to her that he gets therapy if he needs, and she was thinking that if he entered school, he would learn to share and play well, even without a sibling.
I referred her to Head Start, assured her that her son was probably normal (he was sharing and playing with other children as we spoke) and that the lady was maybe just gossipy (a lot of Latino clients I see will get told silly or harmful things by other gossips). The lady was so happy I listened to her, because the father wasn't worried at all. I never saw her again, but I saw the dad the next time and he said he was fine, he was going to enter school. I don't get why a mom like that will never get respect in this country, because she doesn't have papers and doesn't speak English (a language that takes much time to learn), and will never make much money. She doesn't have any status. I worked hard to get to Cornell, but I haven't done anything to deserve more respect than that very kind woman.
I got the book the Secret Teachings of Plants. It will be either very cool, or a cool idea that is kind of boring. But I am excited to read it anyway.
2 comments:
Congratulations on your last day of work. It sounds bittersweet.
That was interesting to read about the illegal immigrants. So many people seem to be threatened by them yet you are so right that they will never gain respect here and will always face struggles and hardships.
I have mixed feelings about the issue. I have friends whose parents came here illegally. And they have grown up to be the most grateful, responsible and productive people I know.
I don't know what your views are on the subject, but I try to keep in mind that deep down underneath all the bias and prejudice--this earth is everyone's home. It belongs to all of us. We have no right to exclude anyone from moving around freely. America is like a huge gated community--wanting to keep out all those who are undesirable.
There is more than enough resources on this earth to sustain everyone. Until people break free of greed and selfishness, until the world becomes more balanced and just--we will never find any peace.
Sorry for that little tangent :)
I do have so much respect for those immigrants. But of course it is undesirable to leave your home. It would be so much better if we could spend that money used to "defend" the border and deport immigrants, and use it to help start independent sustainable communities in people's home areas, so they can be with their land and culture and family. But I have no idea on what the specifics would be :)
Of course I don't respect legal boundaries at all. They are totally artificial and don't mean anything. There are only natural boundaries, like lakes and oceans and mountains.
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