Journaling in Public: Spiritual Cheerleaders

In my latest journaling email, I asked us to think about the cheerleaders who have created spaces where you can bring your authentic self (messy, brilliant, etc). Today, I reflect on the young people I have worked with in Cambridge, MA for over 9 years.

They don’t cheer you on in the way you see in the movies. There are no tricks or pom-poms, just a big kick of honesty that can sometimes leave you feeling like you got the wind knocked out of you. Often, we chuckle about how kids say the darnest things. Yet, what I have found most remarkable about young people in almost 9 years of daily contact with them in youth programs is that more often than not, they say the kindest things. The way they say something as simple as, “Oh. Your makeup looks good today,” or, “I’m good. How was your day?” And then they actually look up and wait for a response from you. Beyond the daily pleasantries, what I’ve loved most about working with young people is that you know once they have let you into their lives, you know you’ve earned a spot based on merit. That kind of encouragement lets you know that you’re doing the work from a place of integrity, authenticity, and compassion.

From them I am learning how to show up in relationships not only ready to be curious about others, but it’s okay to sometimes blurt out how horrible of a day I am having or to let everyone know about that good news I want to share. Have you ever seen a teenager gloat about that A they got in math class? It’s pretty fuckin awesome and an inspiration to all of us that it’s okay to celebrate publicly those things that we have worked hard for and achieved.

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