So, I’ve been learning the importance and healing power of simply having relationships. Both types--those with the same sex and opposite sex. Along with the wonders that take place with just having someone available for support. I have taken for granted and under estimated support systems like family and friends. I became aware of how much I take for granted these support systems when doing an internship with the Mental Health Association of Tulsa (great social service in Tulsa, by the way). I was able to observe their daily program, in what they call their peer to peer program. The specific day this came to my awareness involved the leadership simply taking one of the people with a mental illness on errands for the day. This woman with the mental illness had no other family that I was aware other than her daughter. This woman was attempting to establish a “normal” life by getting a vehicle, entering herself into counseling and up keeping a new home she had. I feel I have been taught by society that people with mental illnesses are you know, “those” people. However, something the MHAT helps their clientele do is build their lives. Not only was it a major help for the woman in leadership with MHAT to drive this woman around but being that there can sometimes be a stigma when having a mental illness the fact that the clientele also just had someone there to talk with I sensed made a huge difference. Another part of the peer to peer program not only involved leadership taking this woman on errands but spending quality time together-- doing things like shopping, playing games, eating dinner together etc.
I share this information to lead into something I have been experiencing myself even more specifically, today. I twisted my ankle a few weeks ago. Foolishly believing time would cause it to heal, it has gotten in worse shape. Walking around a campus that the majority are assumed to believe in healing, I have felt foolish walking with a limp. It has caused me to slow down in walking because of the pain and it has caused much frustration. Simply, because I am a fast walker and also because I did nothing but walk out of the door of my professor’s office (after having a successful time of review) and it just gave out on me. See! Not a thrilling story at all for this little thing to cause so much trouble. On the other hand, a friend I asked to meet me to walk with to class to save myself the embarrassment of walking with crutches, not only walked back from our Chapel service but all the way to the dorms to walk with me, went with me to lunch and waited with me in the waiting room of the doctor’s office as long as she could. Once she left the thought crossed my mind “my little prideful self probably could have done without her all day but it was so nice to face this day, not alone.”
I look forward to just BEING with the girls in St. Louis and I pray not only to be just BE with someone today who needs you but I pray that you find comfort with someone just BEING with you today.

-Savannah Villarreal