Chapter 26 - The Campus Advocate|
The advocacy work began taking up a significant portion of Lily’s time, occasionally threatening to overshadow her actual coursework. I noticed the dark circles under her eyes when she came home for the winter holidays.
"You are burning the candle at both ends, Lily," I warned her as we cooked dinner together in the kitchen.
"I am just busy, Dad. Mid-terms were brutal, and the peer support group had a surge in attendance before the holidays."
"You cannot pour from an empty cup," I gently reprimanded, quoting one of Dr. Brooks’ favorite phrases. "If you exhaust yourself trying to save everyone else, you won't have the energy to finish your degree."
Lily sighed, dropping the wooden spoon into the pot of pasta sauce.
"I know. It's just hard to turn them away. When they come to me, they look so scared. It reminds me of how I felt when Grandma Evelyn used to lock me in the study and yell at Mom. If I don't help them, I feel like I am failing that twelve-year-old version of myself."
I turned off the stove and pulled her into a hug. She leaned into it, suddenly looking very small and very tired.
"You are not responsible for saving the world, Lily. You are only responsible for doing your part, and you are already doing more than enough."
"It doesn't feel like enough."
"It never does to the people who actually care," I said softly. "But you need to let the professionals handle the heavy lifting. That is why you are fighting for better counseling funding, right? So the therapists can do their jobs."
"Yeah," she mumbled into my shoulder.
"Take this break to actually rest. Sleep in. Watch terrible reality television. Let the armor down for a few weeks."
May you like
She pulled back and offered a small, exhausted smile. "Only if you promise not to hover over me like a helicopter."
"I am a father," I smiled. "Hovering is in my job description. But I promise to keep it to a minimum."
