When I first became a big sister in August of 2009, I had no
idea how much it would change my life. I
moved to Birmingham after college, and I knew I wanted to get involved but
wasn’t sure how. A friend in Atlanta had
just started the BBBS program there and couldn’t say enough good things about
the program. His enthusiasm was
contagious, and I immediately contacted BBBS when I got back to
Birmingham. About 6 months later, I was
matched with Molley, a timid 7th grader who was still very unsure of
herself.
Our first few months together were somewhat challenging as I
tried to figure out what my role was in her life. I was consumed with making an effort to be a
good “role model” and was constantly searching for signs that I was making a
difference, waiting and hoping that she would open up to me about the
difficulties in her life. After a few months,
I began to realize that what Molley wanted most was a friend- someone she could
count on and someone she could trust to be there. Once I stopped trying so hard to be the
perfect role model, everything got much easier.
She was less nervous and began to let her guard down some, showing me
signs of the creative and funny girl I now know.
Two and a half years later, I can’t believe how far we’ve
both come. There is a rhythm now between
us and an ease to our outings. She is no longer shy or afraid to tell me what
she wants to do and I can see her beginning to figure out who she is and what
kind of person she wants to be. Her
enthusiasm and resilience inspire me and remind me not to worry so much. There will always be challenges, but becoming
a big sister will always be one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made. I am a much better person for having her in my
life and I look forward to what the future will bring for both of us.
---Susan Shields
