And We're Back...

Hi everybody! It has been too long since I last posted. Things got very busy once I landed in Richmond, and finding the time to write became increasingly difficult. But, as I said earlier, this blog is not just going to end, as I intend to continue to learn and explore issues related to teaching and intellectual disabilities. Below is a post that I wrote while on the plane from Paris to JFK on July 21st. I want to go ahead and get this posted so that I can move forward with getting caught up on my most recent happenings.

I have had some time to begin reflecting on my experiences in L'Arche, but know that this will be an ongoing process. I am currently 32,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, heading to JFK airport in New York after first flying from Dublin to Paris. I have begun jotting down some notes of things I want to mention about L'Arche. Today, I want to touch on the concept that L'Arche is a place where life happens. For me, a large part of life is comprised of transitions, and how those transitions are handled. In my short time with L'Arche I observed Communities experience many transitions, including marriage, death, seeing new assistants arrive, saying goodbye to assistants who had completed their time, dealing with the concerns surrounding a fellow core member who was in the hospital, etc. I also saw how beautifully it works to raise a young child in the environment of Community. When I say that L'Arche is a place where life happens, what I mean is that whatever happens, it happens to the entire community, not just the volunteers or only the core members. Although I had a hard time believing it before I arrived, what I found to be so spectacular is that the support within a communitiy is a two-way exchange.


So much of my preconceived notions are shaped by what I have seen in more typical group home settings in Virginia. Too often, what I have seen are that the people who work there are just that, workers. Do not get me wrong, there are some very nice group homes with very good staff, but ultimately, they are there to receive a paycheck. Also, they work in shifts, clocking in and clocking out based on a schedule, and not necessarily the needs of those who live there. In L'Arche, everyone "lives there," volunteers and core members alike.

Now, let me end this post the way I intended to end the last one; by acknowledging my amazing wife, Rachael. I think that through the tears and tissues from last night's tearful post, and the impending 2:30 wake up call, this managed to slip my well-intended brain. Rachael has been my one constant over the last 13 years. Through the good, the bad, the difficulties, and the celebrations, her love and support has been unwavering. She has been an anchor and a steadfast pillar of support. She sees in me things that I cannot, and encourages me to be the best me possible. For these reasons, and many many more, I am so happy to have her I my life. I love you Rachael.

 

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