“I’m not ready for that yet. I need to get a little stronger.”
A 12-year-old girl said that to me, as we were visiting one day about the work she was doing in treatment at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch. She had mentioned, as she was coloring, that she didn’t feel comfortable yet with male staff around… “because, you know, of sex stuff, abuse, I went through when I was little.”
After recognizing that she didn’t think she was little anymore, I asked her, “Are you and your therapist talking about that?”
Her answer was “I’m not ready for that yet. I need to get a little stronger.”
There is deep wisdom in that simple statement. Just like a physical test of strength, a person must be strong enough for the task ahead.
I had my knee replaced a few years ago, finally, after living with degeneration from an injury almost 20 years earlier. I wanted, after the surgery, to be able to run up steps with a grandchild on my hip. The first day, I could walk to the bathroom and back. The pain in pushing further was just too great. I had a lot of therapy and exercise and learning to do before getting to the hard stuff. Honestly, it was months before I could carry the little one as I ran up a flight of stairs. I got there, but I had to get stronger first.
This precious 12-year-old will learn about coping skills and processing and self-regulation and God’s love as she gets ready for the hard stuff. She will do her “trauma work” at the right time for her… when she gets a little stronger.
Please keep our children and staff at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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