"We the unwilling"

“We, the unwilling, 

led by the unknowing, 

are doing the impossible 

for the ungrateful. 

We have done so much, 

for so long, 

with so little, 

we are now qualified to do anything 

with nothing.” 

This is so true. We exist in this abusive relationship and keep coming back for more.  What do you want me to do?  We ask ourselves and those in charge this question daily.  They want us to be social worker, mental health expert, student councillor, marriage counselor, accident, and death investigator, office manager and more without showing emotion or favouritism.  We do this willingly because it is “part of the job” and when it comes to our own health, we manage as best we can when the so called “family” abandons us. 

Our family suffers through relocations and perceived lack of engagement.  We live in the “red” every day to help those we do not even know.  When we are ultimately abandoned by the people, we try so hard to please, we lose friends and support.  We become segregated and alone.   

The organization we work for pretends to care and offer support services as a panacea to create the illusion that they are working to protect our health.  It becomes a false hope that they have done enough to support and provide services that ultimately are left to us to navigate.   

We know nothing until we are in the thick of the mire and muck that drags us down.  We are caught unawares of the nefarious and callous behaviour of our so called “leaders” who only seek to increase their lot in life. 

Thank God for those who have gone before us and recognize the pain we are suffering and come in like a helicopter to pick up and support us.  These are selfless individuals who are doing what is right and these are the true leaders. 

Being told we are racist by association despite the will and moral obligation to support policy, procedure, practice that is inherently crafted to be neutral and fair. This is the ultimate slap in the face to those who pride themselves on service and community.  How dare the management profess that we are inherently systematically racist? This shows a lack of understanding that is “promoted’ out of the managers through nepotism and narcissistic behaviour. The lack of operational experience and knowledge, skills and abilities are profoundly evident when our managers make comments that throw the whole membership under the bus.   

Let us make no mistake that we do not have leaders at the top.  We have managers who are only interested in managing their own careers and can only make inane comments to justify their understanding of what they are trying to manage. 

We are on our way out and the “Grand Adventure” is over.