This morning was hard. I ate something last night that erupted within my belly and did its best to leave in ALL of the ways possible. I woke up in pain and discomfort. I sat for a long while feeling down. And then things settled and I stood in the shower. (Lately I shower in complete darkness for the calm and the sensations.) As I stood there, I thought about all of the students I wanted to check in with this morning: H whose mom beats her, G who feels suicidal, S who cried to me yesterday that she doesn’t fit in with anyone, and O whose father was put in jail. And as I thought about these young people, literally all my stress and worry disappeared. I have the privilege to serve. I have the disposition that allows me to show up and be present and positive. I have a gift. I want to remember that personal worries can be destroyed by external motivation to help others. I was lucky to wake up, and I am lucky to be available to go and serve the young people who need it most.