By Karen Evans
Ten years! I cannot believe I have been here that long. I was only going to work a few weeks until I could find something else, at least something that didn’t include teenagers. Many things have changed during this time, one being how I feel about Mini-School.
When I first started working at MHS, Mini-School was explained to me as a negative place to be. But during my time here, I have experienced many different feelings toward you—ranging from fear, anger, dislike to acceptance, liking and most recently, friendship.
To a certain degree, I have walked in your shoes. I admire you for staying in there and completing your education. I may have been a candidate for Mini if it had existed in my time. I was co-dependent and my “moods” depended on pleasing certain people. I grew up feeling I was not “good enough.” Just recently I have admitted that I was and am co-dependent and have begun counseling. Twenty-five years ago, if you had a problem, you didn’t talk about it, especially away from home. Society now feels it is better to face your problems and talk about them. In my opinion this is right.
Enough of my rambling. I would like to close with a few thoughts which have helped me. Take it one day at a time, tomorrow will come soon enough: Live for the moment, you never know how much time you have left. Don’t go looking for trouble, enough will find you.
And probably the most important is not to judge a person by their looks, it is what’s inside that counts.
I am learning more and more to accept people as they are. I have a poem on my refrigerator that has helped me:
Don’t walk in front of me,
I might not follow.
Don’t walk behind me,
I might not lead.
Just walk beside me
And be my friend.
Best of luck to you all.
[Editor’s note: Karen is one of the MHS hall monitors.]