A Pathway Toward Growth
Growing is tough. It is an arduous process that requires pain, sacrifice, and grit among many other traits. All living things must go through growth, but not all things grow in the same way. My wife and I traveled across the country from Alabama to Colorado to pursue growth. Since then, it has been two months and Rocky Mountain Pathways Ranch (RMPR) has instilled so much growth in us. Each session, we work with some incredible staff members and students. We came here to make a difference and to teach and instill growth from within the students, and while we have succeeded in accomplishing that goal, we have also grown substantially as a couple and as individuals. We have been watering our garden in hopes that the seeds we have planted will blossom into beautiful flowers.

We have managed to intertwine self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills into our daily lives. Having a master’s in counseling, I like to view this as some form of a wellness model where each phase must be tended to. When one of these is out of sync, it throws the entire order out of balance. As a Lead EOE, the growing pains are felt in all areas trying to manage these aspects of my life. However, I have learned that in order to grow, one must be comfortable being uncomfortable. We must face challenges and obstacles to take our growth to the next level. The students help bring me back to my roots and water them, thus giving me the chance to share that with the team around me and future students.

I learn more about myself each day I interact with the students. I see so much love and joy at the end of our sessions that it often brings me to tears. The work is tough and demanding, and sometimes it can feel like the fruits of my labor aren’t going to be cultivated, but as I have learned, my actions and words carry weight far beyond what I can see. I have learned that love comes in many forms and the best way to express that is usually by giving my time. My time is literally the water these students need to grow and when they soak up that time, it is a gift that waters my own garden. It is a beautiful, symbiotic relationship that helps spread leadership, knowledge, and love all across the world. If I can change one life, then I can, in fact, change the world. Likewise, these students are positively affecting me and thus, changing the world themselves.
With Love,
Bryant J. Abbott
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