How Lucky Am I?!

Being an Emotional Support Person is a job that entails precision.

My desk sits in the same alcove as my client, but facing 90 degrees to the right. Close enough to be a sounding board, but not in the line of vision. 

Being an Emotional Support Person is a job that entails boundaries.

If her headphones are on or her “in a meeting” tent card faces forward, she’s either in a meeting or doing intense spreadsheet work. 

Being an Emotional Support Person is a job that entails personal sacrifice.

It’s a gorgeous early Spring day, close to 80 degrees outside, and I’m sitting here in this windowless room giving morale support at 4:00pm, until tomorrow’s ACCESS make-up schedule, test tickets, and related emails for tomorrow are complete.

Being an Emotional Support Person is a job that does not go unnoticed.

I receive more kudos from my client than she receives from her Admin team, even though she has taken on the Herculean task of coordinating all of the WIDA ACCESS testing for 275 English Learner students in our building.

I do this job because my client is an Extra Special Person.

But really, I ask myself, how lucky am I to sit in this cramped, windowless, mice-ridden room, in a fifty year old building that is falling down around us, working late with my two all-time favorite colleagues, knocking out our desk work in preparation for the last day of make-up testing, our upcoming Student-Led Parent/Teacher conferences, or any other task that comes our way?

Pretty lucky indeed!