They Come, They Go

As some of you already know, I am a billet mom for the local NAHL hockey team, the Springfield Junior Blues. As part of the housing parent's job, the young men on the team are assigned to a household, where everyone is subject to rules and regulations. I have been blessed in having some very wonderful young men come live with my family and I.

The problem is that there have been a lot of them this season. Ten, to be exact.

Each of them has been lovely young men; intelligent, funny, hard-working, respectful, caring, and easily loved. My children have bonded with each one, and, at least in the beginning, were heart-broken when they moved on. This is the other truth about billet housing: these boys leave, and it's usually long before the end of the season. I have the capacity to house two well, three comfortably, and four if one is willing to sleep on a bed roll. These boys come and stay for a few days or up through a few months. A part of me falls in love with each and every one, and aches when they leave, and yet I must let them go.

Finally, the solution came to me. Never stop loving them, and look to understand the lesson that each one brings to my life.

Some months ago, I posted an article titled "Love and Trust". In it, I discussed percevied betrayals that were not only not betrayals, but also served as lessons. I discovered some very interesting blind spots of my own, and how seemingly innocent assumptions can get any of us in trouble.

In this case, however, I have had to deal with falling in love with young people and having to let them go. It's something I'll have to deal with in some unspecified future when it comes to my own children, I know. But right now, I'm avoiding thinking about that. It's very much the same as my first year as a teacher. Then, too, I fell in love with my students, and was heart-broken at the end of the school year when I had to let them go. I prayed that they would stay in touch with me, and let me know that they were safe.

Well, some of them did stay in touch -- they were, after all, mostly freshmen when we met. The rest? Well, other than through the gossip network, I never heard from them again. At first, it hurt. A lot. But then, I learned that as I grew to love the new crop of students, I could love them while I taught them, then release them to the universe with prayers that they would survive, thrive and do great things.

This is what I choose to do with these young men. Feed them, house them, be a great mom to them, then release them to the universe with prayers that they would survive, thrive and do great things.

It doesn't make me a super human or incredibly naiive. It makes me ready to face the challenge as I prepare to welcome the next young man to my home. Better yet, I'm going to look deep in my heart and see what lesson I can learn from each of these young men. What kind of strength does it take to leave your home, and move in with strangers just so you can play a sport and maybe get a scholarship or a shot at the big leagues? How worried are they about what they will encounter? Of the conditions in which they might be forced to live? What can they teach me about focus on a goal and the will to see it through?

I can't wait to meet the next one.

Allow yourself to be patient and to be true to yourself. Remember to take at least five minutes every day to simply be by yourself and breathe. Allow yourself to indulge in a moment of thought, reflection, and planning when the mood strikes. It's your life, your choice. Allow yourself to simply succeed on your own terms, to live in peace, abundance, and joy. One day, one decision at a time, remaining aware of your choices and your feelings. You CAN get there.

And, as always, if you need help, I'm available. It's what I do, and it's what I love to do.

Sharon.

Hypnotherapy can help you to think healthier, happier, and more successful thoughts while adding the power of relaxation to your life. As you go through your day, you feel better and perform better.

Contact us to learn more about how hypnotherapy can you propel you toward a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Hypnosis or Hypnotherapy, in any form, does not diagnose, treat or cure mental or emotional problems, and is not a substitute for other professional help.