About 50 of our halfway house managers meet the second Sunday each month for a two hour meeting, followed by lunch. This has been going on for about 20 years.
This meeting helps maintain TLC's sense of unity and mission. We welcome new staff members. Business talk takes up about ten minutes. Then we spend the rest of the meeting on a topic
Topics run the gamut from frustration, anger, burnout, honesty - you name it. Today the chairperson picked "brotherly love" as a topic.
And as the topic moved around the circle many perspectives came to light.
One man talked about arriving at TLC after serving a prison term. He was broke, with just the clothes on his back.
Brotherly love wasn't up there on his list. Maybe he'd never even thought about it. But the first day there other clients welcomed him with kindness and encouragement. They gave him clothing, and grooming items, and helped him feel a part of.
Another man talked of how other staff members came to his aid when his house flooded after a storm. A short time after he called for help staff members showed up from everywhere.
Others spoke of the atmosphere of kindness and respect, something that made them want to stay.
A recurring theme was that showing love is not about words. It's more about taking action.
Most everyone spoke of the rewards of doing something for others as being one reason they stay.
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