“You may not always have a comfortable life, and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once, but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have, because history has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.”
Hello! My name is Shiloh, and I am one of three student interns employed at Karis as a Community Coordinator. The quote in the preceding paragraph is from Michelle Obama’s keynote address at the Young African Women Leaders Forum in 2011. While she may not be referring to the discomfort of my life, I believe I know the feeling of not always having a comfortable life all too well. I am certainly frustrated by my inability to solve all of the world’s problems at once. Hope has been a constant thread woven throughout my life, along with the challenges I have faced. Without hope for better days, I would not be here to write this blog.
I am the first child of my parents and have two younger siblings. I was born in the Denver metro area and moved to Otis, Colorado, where I was raised by a single dad from fourth grade until I graduated high school. I am the first person in my family to earn a high school diploma, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree in May 2024! I constantly hoped and longed to return to Denver, believing better times would be had once I could. Still, ten years in the boondocks took a toll on my psyche, so I moved to Gunnison to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology with a counseling emphasis.
After graduation, I finally had the opportunity to move back to Denver. I found a job at Lowe’s and enjoyed four years working in corporate customer service before finding long-term employment at Jefferson Center as an addiction counselor. I took a break from school for five years, and by the time I applied to be a graduate student, I had established three things about myself: I want to help people, I have always been a city girl, and I needed to heal from my past.
Whether you believe in coincidences or not, when I looked in the book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy for inspiration, I came upon the following exchange: ‘”What is the bravest thing you’ve ever said?” asked the boy. “Help,” said the horse.”‘ This book was given to me by a class professor on group therapy skills that I took during my second semester in the master’s program. Now, I’ve left out most of the upsetting details of my life from this blog, like how I suppressed them throughout most of my life. I had procrastinated to secure a therapist to aid in my healing, partially due to the cost of insurance and private practice therapy. As I’ve shared with many clients, seeking treatment is a brave first step to healing and change, which was powerfully reflected to me by my therapist during one of our first sessions. Seeking support is challenging, especially because I learned from a young age that I could only truly rely on myself, but I’ve found that asking for help is also a courageous act of self-love and compassion. I knew that being a successful helping professional meant I needed to work through things from my past that were even coming up while reading content for classes.
I learned about Karis around the beginning of spring 2023 after attending an internship networking event and meeting Molly, now a former Karis intern and MSW student. I applied and interviewed with Annie and Dalia in the middle of the semester, noting that Karis Community was my first choice for internships. I happily learned soon after the interview that I was offered the position. I officially began my journey at Karis in July 2023. This unique, transitional residential program maintains “the belief that everyone has the potential to transform their lives.” Oddly, I was gifted another book by staff from my first internship, which discusses the science of hope. For authors Casey Gwinn and Chan Hellman, “Hope is the belief that your future can be brighter and better than your past and that you actually have a role to play in making it better.” One chapter began, whereas another ended.
When thinking about hope and my life’s journey, I reflect on my privilege to have resilience and continue working towards achieving my goals. As my time at Karis grows shorter, I remain hopeful for those currently residing there and the many more to come. I think it takes a truly resilient person to seek out Karis Community, whether as a Community Member or Program Staff, who continues to have hope and walk alongside the journeys of others. Through sharing some insight into my “why” for pursuing a career in this field, I hope readers can feel a sense of validation, comfort, and acceptance in their humanness. I aspire to continue walking alongside others on their recovery journeys even after Karis, as I know the power of healing through a warm smile and listening ear. Being part of so many individuals’ healing journeys and observing the various ways of being a human through my internship at Karis Community has truly been the privilege and honor of a lifetime. If there is one thing I will take from this experience, it’s that having a sense of community can truly promote impactful and powerful healing, even for those looked upon as “the experts” in the field. Life is a journey; sometimes, you just need someone to show you the way. Thank you.
Shiloh, Community Coordinator
Sources:
- https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/22/remarks-first-lady-during-keynote-address-young-african-women-leaders-fo#:~:text=So%20you%20may%20not%20always,a%20life%20of%20its%20own.
- https://kariscommunity.org/about-us/
- Gwinn, C. and Hellman, C. (2018). Hope Rising: How the science of hope can change your life. Morgan James Publishing.
- Mackesy, C. (2019). The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse (First HarperOne hardcover.). HarperOne.
Beautiful words Shiloh! Thank you for sharing! 🙂