by Michelle Garofalo, Day Support Assistant
Michelle offers this reflection about her recent transition from living in at Ananda to Day Support Assistant in the Welcome Center.
The incessant beeping of the microwave, the shattering of a fallen plate, the loud noises of some excited (and some not so happy) core members. My first Day Support lunch rush was, in Leana’s words, a little nutsy. I’ve heard it can be a hectic time of day, but living it was something else entirely. We can’t predict how folks, both assistants and core members, will enter the space. Is the space organized how we like it? Did we have a good morning? Are we even hungry yet and ready for lunch? Were we hungry and ready for lunch hours ago?
When I was living at Ananda, I loved when things went smoothly. I always hoped to avoid tension and commotion as best I could. Maybe that’s natural. After all, Ananda was my home too, for that time. I found that it affected me greatly to have to be and sleep in a space that was difficult during the day.
Since transitioning to Day Support, I’ve found I have more energy to deal with the chaos that ensues. I have more energy for shenanigans and more space to experience joy. My short time with Day Support so far has brought me back to a place of recognizing the beauty in ordinary, everyday tasks, like sharing a meal together, even when that meal time is hectic. There’s a lot of fear and some unknowns that come with moving out of community. There is also room for many gifts to unfold. I hope I discover and embrace these gifts when they reveal themselves. Lunch time will inevitably arrive each day, and perhaps the transition from living in community to moving out will allow me to see the joy in the unpredictable.