31 for 21: Boundaries

*I've joined a blogging challenge for the month of October: Blog every day in October in honor of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month (Down syndrome is medically defined as Trisomy 21, and there are 31 days in October, hence the name 31 for 21). My posts will not necessarily be about Down syndrome, but I am writing as a person who 1) loves many people w/Down syndrome and other disabilities and 2) desires for others to be able to see what I see: remarkably unique people with much to offer to the world*

I love my job.  I think I've made that pretty clear in my posts.  But I am SO glad it has a start and end time.  My last job didn't, not really, and it almost destroyed me.  This one is stressful in its own ways, certainly chaotic, but it ends.  Today I left a meeting at 4:00, not because it was necessarily over (though it was really close) but because it was 4:00 and I'm not supposed to stay past 4.  I had a music therapy session to get to, so it was easy to slip out and cite my 2nd job as a legitimate reason, too.

In my last job, even if I left at 4 on a Friday, my work phone was on til 9 and I was always somewhat on edge til at least then.  Today, 4:00 hit, and I immediately took off my sweater and swapped out my closed-toed shoes for flip-flops, then stopped for a cold drink at QT.  I then sang my heart out with one of my favorite kiddos, then was really really off of work for real.  I ran some errands, came home for a very quick dinner, then went to a friend's to make caramel apples.  Then we found out that another friend was at the hospital, and caramel apple night turned into a few of us going back and forth to the hospital downtown.  And even that was just sweet in its own way.  I was able to be totally and completely available and flexible with whatever the evening brought, and I was able to spend real quality time with several friends, even if not under ideal circumstances.  Caramel apples still happened eventually, and so did prayer, and so did lots of laughter and lots of good conversations.  And I got to hear two little twin baby heartbeats at the hospital, which was an amazing moment. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love that I can pour my whole self into work from 8-4, so that that then I can pour my whole self into not-work after that.  And that works so much better for me.  I honestly don't think I'm much good to anybody if I don't also have time to be a PERSON and not just a supervisor or a music therapist.  And some people in my old position are able to MAKE personal time, but I was simply not one of those people.

Boundaries are a pressing issue in the area of care providers for people with disabilities.  In college, in my internship, in my workplaces, I have been reminded often of the potential for lightning-speed burnout and the need to care for oneself.  And I am living proof of just how much of a difference that can make.