Shauna Roman
Right the Wrongs of the World

I got started with the Communication Mentors sort of by accident I guess.  It feels like I’m wearing a marquee on the top of my head (like a halo?) that says “sign me up” or “I can do that” because I hear that all day long.  I got started as a vote of confidence.  I got started because of a strong desire to help…to figure out how to heal old wounds. To right the wrongs of the world…knowing where and how to pick up the pieces and be at peace with the world.  I could go on & on & on & on…where my journey began, where it will take me (or perhaps where it’s already taking me) and where it will end.

Why do I continue to do this?  Inertia.  I like finishing what I’ve started.  Knowing that there’s TONS of work to do, and that I’m still trying to figure out where I fit in the puzzle.  The more I seek, the more questions I have, and fewer concrete answers – aside from the fact that I should (and must?) continue on…

How have I changed since doing this work?  I’m becoming more myself.  Less afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing.  More confidence.  Still politically correct, but perhaps less political and more correct – ha! ha!

Seems like these answers may start to resemble each other.  What am I most proud of?  Probably that I’ve become more comfortable in feeling that I don’t have all of the answers and that people feel comfortable allowing me to show them, teach them things that I’m still learning for myself.

My biggest challenge?  Probably in calling myself a “Communication Mentor.”  Since I realize that I still have SO Much to learn, who should I mentor?  The more I learn, the more questions I have…feeling like maybe I’ll never fully “get there!”  And where is there?  Who the hell knows…wanting and needing to integrate myself (all areas of life) since being a Mentor is supposed to combine everything that I am.

What would I share with others?  Just do it.  Learning to be in the moment and breathe.  We don’t know everything.  We need to humble ourselves and open up to the possibilities that we aren’t even close to figuring out the people we support.  People are people, and if you allow yourself – you can open up a whole new world where people are people.  An even playing field…all on the same team.
 

Shauna Roman			3/6/08