9:56 a.m. - 2005-10-14

Mentor not Dementor

So I had my first Mentor / Mentee meeting yesterday. I am very fortunate that this young has been a �friend� to me since she was in high school, and I was volunteering in the snack bar for the High School Ministry night here at the church. That goes back about 7 years. My dear Miss A is a wonderful, thoughtful, caring young lady that I am always encouraged to be around.

However, as I step into the guise of a mentor I am rushed with feelings of inadequacy. How can I possibly mentor this person? How can I possibly mentor ANY person? And yet, I don�t have to have all the answers (like I originally thought). I don�t have the tools of a counsellor to teach her the tools to equip her better with life. I am merely a constant, trusted, friend who can be a safe sounding board, and possibly share some of my own life experiences and wisdom (I could comment about the wisdom part, but I won�t).

I can do this. I can mentor.

The true test will come this afternoon when I meet with my next young lady mentee. (What does mentored person call themselves anyway?) I don�t know her, and she doesn�t know me. So Miss A (from yesterday) broke some ground for Miss M (today). I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know Miss M very much.

Between the mentoring of two 20 something�s, and the mentoring/small group leader to a rag-tag group of 6 ten-year-old girls � I�m getting some real stretch challenges this year - in a good way.

Speaking of challenges � I mentioned last week that I was given a �task� for work. Well, for obvious reason�s I was unable to think clearly about much of anything, and I didn�t try to dwell on the topic much. However, this week I was reminded that I needed to get this done, and was given a due date of Monday (next). So this week I have spent a little more intentional time trying to come up with answers.

For each �good at� reason I begin to think of, my mind automatically begins to convince me to the contrary. A double mindedness that is enough to make my head spin. What childhood training dismantled any sense of purpose, or self-encouragement in me? After a long chat with my husband last night � always a good sounding board � he guided me to think a little more clearly. He suggested that I not try to �formalize� my thoughts to quickly, but approach it more creatively. Creative!! I can do �creative�. In fact . . . . I�m good at CREATIVE!!

There! There is my first item on the �What I do best or well� list.

I am hoping to post my list, as it develops, here. Not for your feedback � you hardly know me � but for a healthy avenue to express myself, and check back to it on the occasions that I question my abilities or myself. There is something about putting words to paper, and in turn paper online and somewhat public that holds a person accountable. Even if there is no one that reads your blog � your thoughts are out there, and you (the postee) need to respect that.

Have a most stupendous weekend! Think good thoughts for me when I meet with Miss M. And be assured that YOU - my readers � are never far from my thoughts. I love you all.

:-) LJ