Relationship Reflection

Relationships

Relationships are important to me because they help me navigate the obstacles of life.  Without the support of my family and friends, I would have traveled down treacherous roads during the struggles in my life. I have several friends that have helped me navigate these obstacles.  They have been in my life for longer than ten years and will be in my life until I take my last breath, no matter the distance.  We have been through good and bad times, argued, disagreed, fought, cried, and hugged.  Kimberly Martin, Cristina Denz, and Thomasine Dandridge are friends that I call family. 

Kimberly and Thomasine helped me through my daughter’s medical crises on numerous occasions, bad relationships, health scares, and triumphs.  Cristina has helped me to find myself again and supports me by being there every day as a roommate and friend.

These relationships last because there is an unconditional love.  If it were not unconditional, it would not stand the test of time.  We all tell it like it is, and although sometimes it hurts, we know it is out of love.  There are times we have had to take a step back and process the hurt but we always return to our friendship and rebuild what was broken.  Our friendships have lasted long distances and spaces of time when we have not been in communication.  However, we always come back together and reunite as if we never let go. 

The challenges in building these relationships have taken a toll.  However, they have been well worth every lesson I have learned.  I have learned that when you care about someone, you stand by them even when you do not agree with their decisions.  You support them emotionally, even when you do not understand what they are going through.  You watch and help them grow by just being there when they need you.  You get angry with them, and you forgive them.  These relationships take effort and work.  The disagreements do not work themselves out on their own.  It takes compromise and surrender.

My relationship with Cristina is a partnership.  It sounds a bit bizarre, but it is similar to a marriage but purely platonic.  We help each other in everyday life.  We share a residence, and she assists me with raising my daughter.  There are days when we do not like each other very much and days when we do everything together.  We have been friends since fifth grade.  Our relationship has gone years with no contact while we traveled on different journeys, but life always brought our paths to intersect.  We are still on different journeys. But now we support one another daily. 

While working in early childhood, I have used all of the skills I have learned over the years.  Relationship skills are used while working with staff, parents, and children.  There is always give and take in a relationship.  When working with families, you must provide a little of yourself to learn about them.  Sometimes sharing a bit about your own family and life is all it takes to help them relate to you and you to them.  It is a process of building trust that takes time and energy.  But one must be willing to invest in the process for it to work.  You must also be genuine.  You must be vulnerable at times.  It is the give and takes that is necessary to build trust and, therefore, a relationship.  Understanding all of this and being able to implement these skills is what me an effective early childhood teacher and site director. 

My daughter, myself, and Cristina

Kimberly and myself