Of the safe spaces we create
“Shame dies when stories are told in safe safe places” -Ann Voskamp
We all have an emotional entity trapped inside us. Some let it show easily, while others resist. This resistance is not inbuilt, instead it is a consequence of past experiences. In an ideal world, every human being has the right to a safe space where he/she/they can express themselves. Research shows that a human mind is in constant search of cues of rejection — and is susceptive to minor indications. So, what stops us from creating such spaces in our workplace, classrooms, and homes?
Throughout my academic journey, I have never come across a situation where I feel safe emotionally till now. Amal academy was able to create a safe environment for its fellows to just sit down, and express. We dedicated a 2 hour session to just sit, talk, and express. This revealed a lot of stories of pain, suffering, and trauma. There were a lot of tears. But at the end of the day we all came together as a family, to support and emotionally lift each other. This feeling of being heard and being empathized with was very comforting. I wish every learning place could enable safe classrooms. As emotional trauma can hinder focus, which hinders effective learning. My learning with Amal was one I would never forget and throughout this journey I created a great connection with the fellows. Although now that we would not have a common topic of discussion, I am a little worried we might become distant with time. To avoid that I will protect these bonds through constant communication. I truly believe that communication is the key to saving relationships.
My key takeaway from this fellowship is a growth mindset. From now on I will incorporate Amal principles into my learning experiences. Principles such as “khudi”, “kaam kaam kaam”, “ek aur ek gyarah” and “amal”. This fellowship has encouraged me to take initiatives and believe in myself to achieve a result through hard work. Before Amal, I overlapped hard work with exploitation. Afterwards I understood what hard work is and why it is important. That is what I was lacking with fears of being exploited. Another perspective I developed through the Amal fellowship is regarding leadership. Before Amal, I thought all my ideas are bound to imagination and can’t become reality. With Amal’s mega project I actually learned that ideas CAN become reality when we work together. All 9 circles were able to execute their ideas wonderfully. This experience was really empowering and added to my thought process that by kam kam kam, things are achievable.
