Relationship Reflection

  Relationships have proven to be a critical part of my life, as they have shaped who I am today and who I will continue to be throughout my life. The relationships that I have encountered throughout the duration of my life, both good and bad, are the reason I am here in my career as well as my educational journey. I currently have several positive relationships that foster my health well-being. First and foremost, Reilly (my fiance) is the most significant of my relationships. We have been together for 5 years and have made it through some pretty big accomplishments together. We met while we were in college and have started our professional careers together and supported one another through the good times and the bad. Our relationship has been a factor in where I am at professionally today and where I will continue to go. The second most important relationship in my life today is the relationship I have with the youth that I work with. I work a lot, and I have a tendency to let my work consume my life, but it is in good reason I do so. I cannot put into words the satisfaction that comes from my job. Being able to witness on a daily basis the contribution that I make towards youth becoming better citizens is rewarding on so many levels. The trust that these children have placed in me and the relationship that we have is priceless. As a result of our positive relationship, I have been able to build better partnerships with parents. The parents are able to see how happy their children are and have become more open to the idea of parent involvement. The third relationship that is important in my current life is the relationship between my staff and I. I have a wonderful staff who is dedicated to advocating for youth and they make my job much easier for me. They are innovative and always make sure that they are serving the children before themselves. These relationships listed are important mainly because this is was occurs in my everyday life. I'm either at home with Reilly, or at work with my staff and kiddos. While I often get teased about how much time I devote to my career and how all I talk about are the kids at work, I wouldn't want it any other way. The fact that I'm making a positive difference in the lives of these children is reason enough for me to continue on my career path. Having a supportive partner makes things even easier.