God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
Wise words huh?!
The last few weeks have not been the easiest, my safe little world has taken a bit of battering. I do not handle change very well, I wish I did have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, alas I struggle with this one, but I'm working on it.
Let me explain what's been happening...
Staff portraits by one very talented lady
Some of you will already be aware that for nearly a year the day centre (for adults with Learning Disabilities) I work at 3 days a week has been under the threat of closure. We have been hoping and praying that the council will change their minds and allow us to stay open, sadly they did not and our beautiful centre will close on 27th April.
This means that I will lose my much loved job :0( I had already decided that may be this is fate telling me to go full time with the bears so that is my grand plan, exciting yes, terrifying certainly, but its with a heavy heart I leave Endeavour.
This place has been a huge part of my life for the last 10 years. I have worked with some of the funniest, caring, talented, happy people I know. The staff team is like a little family, I can genuinely say they are my friends not my work colleagues. I shall miss seeing them everyday terribly. Its been very hard to see staff leave, say goodbye to clients moving to new centres, see my beloved trampoline sold and our kiln moving on.
But I am also very lucky, how many people can say they love their job, that they look forward to going into work, hearing the gossip, spending time with their friends. I am grateful that I can say yes I've had all that.
Over the years I have been involved in many activities within the centre, from cooking to swimming, trampolining to pottery. Reading groups, going out for coffee groups (one of our favourite!) but mostly I have been involved in the arts and crafts side of things, I am in awe of the talent my clients have, people who's communication skills can be a challenge, people who's minds don't look at the world as we do, people with bodies that challenge them and behaviour that the so called "normal" people don't understand.
Its inspiring, motivating and wonderful.
Here are a few pieces of art from our 2010 art exhibition
Isn't this wonderful? It now lives with me
Jackson Pollock eat your heart out!
The Bluebell Woods
I thought I was coping well with all this, I was trying hard to be positive and was doing okay until we had the blow that we have to move out of our house, the reason is beyond our control and is no ones fault but with me losing my job and then our first home together I've been melancholy to say the least.
House hunting is always hard work but 18 months ago when we moved in here it seemed easier, I guess that was because we both moved from our parents so timing wasn't an issue and I think our expectations were different, we was lucky to find this house and its been a very happy home for us. But this time around its been difficult, we've seen so many places but none fitted the bill until this weekend when I think we've finally found our second home, fingers and toes have to be crossed because its not final yet but I'm really hopeful that it will all work out.
I know that a year from now when I look back at this time it will not seem so dramatic, after the fact it never does. I do also think that everything happens for a reason and to quote my late paternal Grandmothers favourite saying "God doesn't shut one door without opening another" its true and I must learn to trust everything will be okay in the end.