The Hardest Job I Ever Loved

When I worked in Politics, I moved from working with Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to working for the Minister of Community, Family and Children’s Services (or the Ministry of Misery, as we used to call it). The Ministry dealt with Children’s Aid Societies, Mental Health, Disabled adults and children, homelessness, poverty, deadbeat dads (people who didn’t pay child support), welfare and a whole host of other programs, which were tough. I would handle “the calls” and do my best to fix problems. It was a hard job because the issues were tough since we were dealing with people more than just politics. I was very stressed because I wanted to help as much as I could. I did my best, and I think I did help some people along the way, or that is how I felt. At the end, I was a bit stressed and a bit burned out from this job, along with the time I spent working for various MPP’s so I moved to Korea and eventually here to Hong Kong. From that job, I learned what I want to do the most: help others as much as I can. It is where I find the joy and the passion to do what I do. It took some time, but I have found a happy place.  

While working there, I had the chance to work with some amazing people who were extremely dedicated to making people’s lives a bit better. One of the guys we worked with was Lauro, who was a bureaucrat but not in the typical fashion. He was someone who helped me get things done and helped me do the job I needed to do. He cut through a lot of what was going on in the Ministry. He helped us understand the people we were dealing with, both on the advocacy side of things (special interest groups, as they are sometimes called) and in the reality of the situation. He was a great guy to work with because I honestly believe he wanted to help as much as he could.

After I left for Korea, he decided to leave the government and worked in several agencies. His latest job is working with “The Good Neighbour’s” program in Toronto. It is dedicated to helping homeless seniors and provides some services for them. The work is hard since the reasons for being homeless are just as hard, ranging from mental health issues to losing a job or a loved one and then “breaking.” I read today that one of the seniors he was dealing with had been found dead. His name was Bill Buss. Lauro was quoted in the article as saying that Mr. Buss was social but extremely shy and independent. He wouldn’t seek shelter because he was worried about being beaten in the shelter by younger people or his things taken by those on drugs or other problems. Mr. Buss was found a few weeks after he died. No one knew he was gone. No one knew he was dead. Lauro is trying to find anyone who knows him.

Reading the story made me miss working in the “Ministry of Misery.” It made me miss working with some incredible people who are trying to help and make the lives of those around them a bit better. I work at a school where a few people do this, but it just feels different. It is almost like I can’t put into words how I am feeling.