Astrology, Spirituality & Alternative Healing

of the long phone conversation I had with my mom this morning.

She called to thank me for being there to intervene with a troubled family member in a constructive way, repeatedly. She tends to stumble around and feed the problem, all the while trying to "fix" things.

She said she thinks my career in public service (education) gives me insights on how to deal with troubled people. She's right, of course.

I told her that, in order to spend a lifetime serving, we can't become cynical and give up, nor can we allow our natural empathy to overwhelm us; we have to be present, but separate, accept the realities of the situation, whatever it is, and open windows and doors which the troubled person can look out, or walk through...or not. We can't drag or force them through, or make their choices for them (help we can't change the situation, make it different or make it go away (fix we can simply offer some possibilities for dealing that they can choose from. We can keep hope on the table.