|
Executive Director |
|
|
There is an ancient Greek myth about a Sea-God named Proteus who had the ability to change shape at will, to be whatever he was required to be at the moment. One moment a lion, the next moment a tree, and the next moment a rain drop. In many ways, this fable is apropos to those adults who have an overwhelming desire to be of service to infants, children, and teens who need temporary or permanent families. Foster parents and adoptive parents are so often called upon to be multi-flexible moment-by-moment for meeting the needs of the infant, toddler, child, and teenager placed in their family’s care. As with fascinating characters and exciting plots in captivating stories, our real day-today moments require us to share with one another the virtues of appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, understanding and valor. Who amongst us doesn’t want to feel appreciated? We look around us and see that each of us has endless opportunities to offer and receive compassion. Is there anyone who has never had to struggle with forgiveness or wrestle with humility? Understanding other people as well as situations beyond our control isn’t always easy and there is always a price to pay to reach the depths or pinnacles of understanding. And, valor – standing up for our own dignity and not condescending to injustice – is a vital attribute for healthy relationships. Each of us has these innate virtues for being a talented person with abilities to create enriching life stories – for and about ourselves and others. At times being a foster family is like a twist-and-turn mystery story more than an entertaining fable. I often think there is a mysterious force penetrating the hearts of central characters in the realm of foster and adoptive care. An unseen force which draws us into becoming foster and adoptive parents can plot excitement and enjoyment. But if we ignore or neglect rational thinking and only pay attention to the powerful sensations from the heart, all the characters in our true-to-life stories will fall apart. Without a healthy balance of logic and emotion, foster-adoptive families find turbulence and weariness replacing excitement and enjoyment. When a book becomes too overwritten with heartache and sorrow, we close the book and thus disrupt our reading. When we close the doors to the youth in our foster and adoptive homes because we’re burned out and exhausted, the kids endure repeated blows of home, school, and relationship disruptions. With each home-to-home disruption, the magical moments of childhood and adolescence become less and less, thus decreasing moments of enchantment and enrichment – which all kids deserve to experience. With SAFF’s help, creating and maintaining a safe, healthy and happy foster family isn’t simply a fictional myth - but a life long factual story with incredibly wonderful and productive chapters. Entire books can be written about the powerful, victorious and beautiful stories of foster and adoptive families throughout Nevada ever since the foster care movement began in Virginia City in the mid-1800’s. And, today SAFF continues to help create enriching stories from, for and about foster families throughout our state. Joseph A. Galata, Executive Director
|
