In the course of my counseling orientation class, I came across this “Voice from the Field” quote in the textbook- Introduction to Counseling (6th edition) (Kottler, Shepard 2008) page 21….
“I do different things on different days. On some days I’m a farmer – I till soil within people so that their own seeds of wisdom can grow. Some days, I’m a one-man rescue operation, carefully moving someone back from the brink of self-destruction. Some days, I’m a one-man band, playing accompaniment for someone who walks to the beat of a different drum. At times I’m a mirror, trying to reflect what I understand. I’m at my best when I’m a sponge – being present, listening, and soaking up the essence of another person and the hurt inside. I am frequently privileged to be a traveler – a visitor to exotic lands in the client’s worlds. But on most days, I’m a struggler, trying to find my way, and trying to help others do the same.”
This assessment seemed so honest, so real. Even with just the lay pastor guidance I’ve done to date, I can relate to these various perspectives. I expect that in the years to come, I will remember this anonymous counselor’s words and relate to one or another of these analogies after an encounter with a client. I’ll be interested to see what other analogies present themselves, too.