I love the calm of morning. Early morning is when I gather my thoughts, plan my day, think of my to do’s. The comfort of home, listening to the rain, enjoying the subtle breeze, a warm blanket, sipping coffee, something about the peacefulness of the early morning hours make all of these more enjoyable. Maybe it is the stillness, the quiet, the blessing of a new day. There’s no hustle and bustle when the rest of the house is sound asleep. This centers me.
I am not certain when I became a morning person. As a little girl, I always shared a room with my sister. I didn’t really have my own, “space.” I sometimes cleared out a little corner of our closet, sat on our back porch or lingered in our basement with a book. I realized as an adult, I was always looking for a place to be still, to call my own, to take in the quiet, to be settled. Morning is my “space.”
It is unimaginable to me how a child must feel to wake in the early morning hours in unfamiliar surroundings. A new bed, strange voices, uncertain of what lies ahead in the day. It is difficult for me to process that the quiet of early morning may not bring a sense of peace, the stillness does not bring calm or feelings of excitement for the new day.
In Georgia, children experiencing foster care, on average, change homes five times over an 18-month period. Take a moment to pause and process this. The possibility that in a little over a year, a child will wake up in an unfamiliar home, possibly with strangers five different times is unfathomable. The stillness of the morning, likely invokes uncertainty of what the day will bring, more change, unfamiliar faces, sounds and voices. Maybe, they will wake and feel safe, settled, maybe? Maybe they will make friends at their new school. Will they wake to a smiling face, maybe? You see, many children experiencing foster care live in a state of “maybe.” This is their “space.”
Whether you are a morning person or a night owl, find a space in your day to take a few moments to soak in the stillness. Find your space, your place of calm. Think about your “maybe.”
A CASA can help fill the “maybe” space for a child experiencing foster care. A CASA can be the ONE person who consistently shows up and gives these children hope, who brings the calm, encouragement, the stillness. MAYBE this is the time to learn how you can serve abused and neglected children in our community.
For more information on becoming a CASA Volunteer, please click here.
Take a few minutes to complete a Volunteer Inquiry Form or contact me at tracy@halldawsoncasa.org.
