The Work Gig

i just finished a 9 month work gig as an apartment maintenance technician and roving technician for a for-profit company that provided care, treatment and housing in various Twin City communities for vulnerable adults suffering from brain injuries, mental illness and some have addiction issues.

I was deeply impressed by the professionals that work with these folks to make their lives a little better. I have seen some terrible things. Sadness, violence, filth, messiness, lack of personal hygiene, pot-smoking, much cigarette usage, forbidden drinking, madness, trouble with the criminal justice system, incontinent people wearing diapers and while refusing to bathe--the whole house reeked of feces.

I have seen some wonderful things where these clients are working a little, and building their lives a little and enjoy a safe, warm, clean apartment.

I just want to go home and straighten up the house. I want clean clothes, a bath and meals served at regular intervals. I want to be clean and sober, without visits from the cops or social workers. I want to invite God into our house our lives, our hearts.

To be self-loving, lovable and to love others are preconditions for living a normal, healthy, happy, productive life. These basic steps must be taken, met and maintained as we live a life of individuating.

My work experience with vulnerable adults reinforced for me the reality that we need to function even at a minimum level of success. We can fail, and fail miserably. We can lead degraded, wretched lives of dependency and endless pain, where shattered egos of self-loathing and non-individuating lead to communities of dysfunctionality and loss.

We can do better. We must do better. Let us raise our sight and eyes to reach a higher level of living. Let this gold standard of excellence be presented and shared with all, without or with disabilities--only improving the self can offer anyone any chance to feel good about themselves, that they are someone, that has done something, and have amounted to something. That feeling of earned self-worth cannot be faked or bought. Once earned, it cannot be lost or stolen. Let all achieve as much as they can, and go as far as they can, as long as they can, regardless of where they are at, or how low a condition they are progressing from. God is calling us to live well and get it done here and now, before God calls each of us home.