Happy Endings

birds by scott

When I explain to people what my internship is all about most people wonder how I can work with drug addicted women. Yes, it is draining some days. And yes, it has broken my heart many times around. But it's days like today that make me really sad this gig will be ending come June.

I have been working with a client for over a year now. She came into treatment pretty broken and we had six long months together of weekly conversations to work on healing those broken parts. It had been a little while since I had formally sat down with her and recently she had experienced some tough stuff that wasn't part of "The Plan". You know, The Plan we create for our future that never quite works out the way you see it working out. Yeah, that plan.

So with all that stuff in the way, it does my heart good to see she has emerged even more committed to her recovery and ultimately her life - the best possible life she can give herself. And all of the dark consequences of her addiction are slowly working themselves out as she begins to write this new chapter.

I admit that I got a little teary seeing her walk out today. I am just so freaking proud of her. It is hard work and she is a fighter.

So I've learned that a lot can change in a year.

And that my heart actually expands with each passing season.

And that there ARE happy endings because I get to see them more often than not.

And not just the kind in fairy tales. Real life happy endings.

And that makes it all worth it.