Something to Chew On

Every day that I work at the jail involves new and unexpected experiences. I don't feel like I can share very much because most of the stories are not mine to tell. I suppose, though, that I can share tidbits like learning that you can make hair gel (which is against the rules) out of Jolly Rancher candies and toothpaste.

At first I thought you'd have to chew up the candies and spit them out, but apparently you can just crush them and add a bit of water.

Today I learned a new paradigm. A woman I'd invited to discuss the services her non-profit offers talked about personal boundaries. Not in terms of how they protect us, but in terms of how they define us. And that we actually need to protect them.

Our emotions, our values, the standards we set for ourselves, etc. are all boundaries that we should be aware of as we develop relationships with people. If we allow people to ignore or trample our boundaries--for example, by dismissing something that is important to us or telling us we shouldn't feel a certain way--we're giving them power to define who we are. And that might not be so healthy.

Since I won't need to chew the Jolly Ranchers, I am going to chew on that.