Some back story. For 15 years I was an investigator for Adult Protective Services. I originally wrote this in 2017. It is very reflective of many different emotions and stories I came to know. The young man with me was in a learning position, new to his job, who was accompanying me but not doing the same job as I. To the young man’s credit, he heard, he learned. To the elderly man’s credit, he taught, though he was exhausted, and life had drained him of more than the young man had learned to understand yet.
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Bravo 👏
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Thank you Gyslaine!
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this gave me chills and was so beautiful
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Thank you Beth !
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We have the opportunity to learn from everything. We just need to take it!
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That’s the key Peter. We can say the say thing about teaching. In my observations, there have been a LOT of missed opportunities to each.
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Thank you for this.
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You’re welcome Paulette.
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Funny I have been thinking quite unwillingly what I have been through and if we looked at others through your eyes we would judge much less severely
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I’m guilty of judging. But I’ve gotten much better at stopping, thinking of where this person has come from and what they have come through. It’s lessons like taught by people like this older gentleman that have helped me grow.
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It is wonderful to teach though you are tired, MBC, and equally wonderful to learn though you are cocky.
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That is a great statement MBM.
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Beautifully written…
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Thank you Sheri. I greatly appreciate that.
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Lovely! One sees this happen so often and sadly, as I’ve witnessed, there are not many lessons learned at times because there weren’t any taught! It takes two to tango.
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That is key Joycee. Oft times anger or impatience or pain prevent one from teaching or one from learning.
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Yes! That’s the thing. One never knows who’s gone through what trials and how it has impacted them.
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Exactly. Patience with one another would go a long way!
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This is so very true.
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This is a beautiful story and tells me so much of where that wisdom and your beautiful stories come from. You have probably seen things in your job that most of us can’t even begin to imagine. Bless your beautiful heart for taken on such a heart breaking job and for sharing your experiences and wisdom about life in general. Much love and respect for you my friend. Love ❤️ Joni
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Again, you are too kind to me. I have seen some very sad things. But, to balance out life, I have seen some very wonderful things. I have seen people become blessings to others. And I have seen hearts change for the better.
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I am so glad to hear that. Grateful there was balance for you, otherwise that could have been a very heartbreaking job for someone with a kind heart like yourself. We are all on a walk trying to leave and hoping to leave some flowers behind. I am sure you left a garden. Big hugs 🤗
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The balance was necessary or yes, I would not have been able to do it. The world IS full of good people.
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It really is thank goodness. Big hugs 🤗 my friend. ❤️
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Deep oceans and waves of experiences carried within. The young man probably carried the imprint of this experience forever with him, remembering it in his latter years – also as much your post has created an imprint in me, that I will carry.
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Thank you Infinite, for receiving this message. And I hope that young man carries it still.
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It must have been a humbling experience for the younger man, Colleen. I’m sure you learned so much in your years as an investigator. That couldn’t have been an easy job, but I know your compassion and sensitivity was a real blessing to those you served.
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I was quite humbled as well. I can only hope that I was a blessing to some of these people. Often times they were the blessing to me.
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