Don't Forget Joy

For a person actively experiencing homelessness and all the heartbreak that goes with it, it can be easy to forget joy. One can barely remember a time when fun was really part of the equation. When the most pressing issues in your life are where am I going to sleep safely tonight? and how will I get my next meal? it’s not likely that you have a lot of time to do things you enjoy just for the pleasure of it. Necessity supersedes recreation, and spending time even with those you’d call friends may not seem like a safe place to let your guard down.

We want to create that safe space for our young people to let down their walls and enjoy life. As the activities coordinator at SYM I am excited to be filling our calendar with opportunities for joy! When I came on staff over the summer, outings and activities had all but ceased due to covid restrictions in the city. With mandates lifting and weather getting better- I’m looking forward to a fun spring and summer to come with our youth! Some of our clients are working hard to make changes in their situations, others are just trying to survive another day. We all deserve a bit of reprieve. Life is tough, no matter who you are. SYM should be a safe haven- a place of community, rest, and resources- within the confines of our drop-in center and office space, as well as wherever we venture to.

The past couple months our activities and outings have been ramping up! We’ve done a Bob Ross painting activity where we painted along with one of Bob’s legendary videos in attempt to recreate his vision in oil paint- each with our own twist! This happened within drop-in. We’ve been on a walk around Greenlake, Whirlyball in Edmonds, hiked Coal Creek, bowling at Spin Alley! This coming month we’ll start going rock climbing on a weekly basis at Edgeworks Seattle, we’re planning an outdoor adventure for Earth Day, and we’re going to plant a tree in a local park on Arbor Day. Those are outings, which include travel- getting away from the same streets- and sometimes out of the city entirely! How important it is to connect with nature every now and then… Activities happen during drop-in, right in the same space people show up to regularly to get basic needs met and have a place to chill. This includes our upcoming chess tournament and the Super Smash Bros. tournament- made possible by the generosity of those who donated to our weekend drive for the new Nintendo Switch!

Which, on that note, may I take a moment to revel in how wonderful a community we have?? I’d like to personally extend a big thank you and say how truly grateful I am to the greater SYM community- those I have met and those I may never see face-to-face(unless you come to the Block Party in May!!). The fact that we can share a need and advertise a weekend drive and then receive nearly double our ask and have the physical fulfillment of that ask the very next week- WOW! That blessed me. Thank you for your generosity.

Because it’s not just about a new video gaming system. It’s about remembering joy. It’s about knowing community. It’s about SYM having the ability to take clients on an adventure, away from the woes that surround them. When young people play Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart, they’re able to connect on a pure level. It’s just fun. Maybe some trash-talking banter for good measure- but all in GOOD FUN. Activities build trust and mutual respect within our community. Bonding over something amusing. SYM, where you can get a hot meal, charge your phone and take a nap, and make friends, to know and be known while being your truest self. Honestly, being able to walk around without carrying your whole life on your back is a luxury for some folks. Think of that. If you have no home, no safe place guaranteed not to get swept by the cops, rifled through by thieves, or destroyed by the elements, everything you own must go with you everywhere. That’s a heavy weight both physically and emotionally. So when we’re able to offer a time where a person can leave their 50lb backpack behind, safe and secure at SYM and go walk to see a waterfall or go bowling for an afternoon, it means more than you can imagine. A true weight lifted off the shoulders.

I love the work we’re able to do, the people we serve and I love looking for opportunities to make joy happen in their lives.

Sincerely,
Chelsea Araneda
SYM Intern/Activities Coordinator

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.