“I scored my advanced practicum at the _ clinic. Thank you Lord for this wonderful opportunity. Although to take on this opportunity I had to resign from _ steering committee, I do pray they still keep me in the loop as I truly believe in the work they’re doing and that every child deserves to be happy, healthy and safe. This practicum will be strengthening my current skills and I will be learning about patient care, insurance policies, providing case management, and have the opportunity to run groups and simply help provide medical services by offering a listening ear in their most vulnerable moments. I feel that this a beautiful full circle moment for me. I remember as a poor little child almost blind as a bat some person I can no longer recall referred me to the  Lions Club for my first pair of prescription eyeglasses. This gift allow me to see a clear world and feel more confident.”

Rereading this journal made me smile, and reconfirmed that serendipity moments exist. I will never know who referred me for glasses decades ago (I checked my childhood journal and it simply says “I went downtown today to where the rich people go and I got new glasses today they look like rainbows”), though I am sure this act played a part in leading me to become a clinical social worker. I wonder if others experience such wonderful moments of serendipity. I also wondered what the hell I did to celebrate obtaining that practicum. That practicum spot was the crème of the crop and one I went after with gusto, despite my practicum liaison and a few professors. It even almost got me sent to the dean. My university has the policy that your practicum could only come out of their data base. To this day that is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. The clinic was not in there, but I knew my life purpose so I requested a meeting, showed up with resume and reference-ready for any test they had for me. There was no test that day, but I was given the chance and a clear message of don’t let me regret this. That opportunity truly lit my clinical fire and now the opportunity is open to others. So, what did I do to celebrate that accomplishment? Knowing myself back then, I probably did nothing but check it off my 10 year plan and jump into the task. My advice to you is to stop celebrate the victory.