Everyone has to say goodbye at some point. Friends move, kids grow up, spouses leave for work trips.
I don’t think I am alone in saying that these goodbyes can be difficult. No one likes when loved ones have to go.
When I first started at Maddie’s Place, I didn’t expect many goodbyes. I was there to stay! And yet, I’ve said more goodbyes than I anticipated. I didn’t realize the connections I would make with the family surrounding me.
I am thinking particularly of the moms and dads we serve at Maddie’s Place. All parents staying at our facility start their journey in the front lobby. Most show up quietly with their heads held down, expecting judgement from anyone around them.
However, as they settle into their new home, their countenance seems to lift with each passing day. Slowly, as trust is built amongst the people of Maddie’s Place, they are willing to open their lives to us.
As I transitioned into the nurseries to work as an infant care specialist, I was blown away at the level of depth that some of our staff members had with the parents. Each day, I watched relationships deepen with every “How are you?” or “Let me take your baby, go get some rest.”
For so long, these parents resided in the pit of despair, some abandoned by their families, many homeless. It’s the unfortunate reality of substance use disorder. When these parents show up at Maddie’s Place, we are some of the only people they have.
But that is what makes these connections between staff and parents so important. Because even offering the smallest of encouraging remarks could mean the difference between a relapse or continued recovery. Every walk around the block, every laugh shared, every support offered communicates the important message of I choose you.
“I want You to come to the movies with me. I want to go on a walk with You. Do You want to throw a softball with me? What can I make You for dinner.”
These words might seem meaningless to you, but they mean the world to individuals who have been hurt and rejected. And that is just a fraction of what we get to do at Maddie’s Place. It is thrilling.
“When I started my position as an ICS at Maddie’s Place, I did not know the future impact that the Mom’s Program would have on me. Aside from caring for our babies, I always felt connected and drawn to the moms that stay here.
Listening to them, laughing with them, or simply getting them to smile on a tough day—coming alongside these moms as their friend is an integral part of the support we provide at Maddie’s Place, in addition to caring for their babies. As they transition out of Maddie’s Place, I continue to build upon these relationships. Either by attending their baptisms, cheering them on at coin nights, or helping them apartment shop as they settle into housing.
These ongoing connections I have made both support their journey toward recovery, but most importantly model the importance of a nurturing & healthy friendship as they step into a new chapter of life with their baby.” – Sophia, Infant Care Specialist
It’s this closeness that develops over time that makes the inevitable goodbyes so hard. But thankfully, for many it is a see you later. Often, parents will come back to Maddie’s Place for visits or attend an event put together by our Mom Team. Individual staff members will follow up with parents too after they leave, bringing care meals, offering to babysit, or giving rides.
This is the power of a village, and it doesn’t matter how far away you are. Whether you are 20 states away or one, you have the power to make a difference in the lives of the generations to come. What will you do?
Questions? Suggestions? Email me at emma.jones@maddiesplace.org
This blog was posted on June 28, 2024.