About Wendy C. Norris
My name is Wendy Norris and I can tell you everything that my identity is wrapped up in to introduce you to who I am. I can tell you that I am:
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a firefighter
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a chaplain
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a burn survivor
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the CEO of a non-profit
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a certified grief educator
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a public information officer
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a writer and speaker
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an instructor
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a wannabe photographer
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an adoptee
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the mother of an adopted daughter
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an empty-nester
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a widow
The list could go on and I would tell you that I carry alot of pride with that list, but, in the end, they are all just titles.
After reading this list, would you know who I really am? Would you know that I love Jesus and consider myself to have a deep spirituality but yet I still struggle and wrestle with God almost every day? Would you know that I have a heart for tending to the well-being of first responders through teaching and spiritual direction but most of the time I feel like an imposter?
By these titles, would you know that I feel like God has called me to the work of caring for those who have suffered significant trauma and loss but that I also have a deep-seeded fear of death and feel so unsure of how to handle my own personal losses? Would you know that I love people but at the same time, I can feel worn down after too much social time?
We all carry these lists and labels for ourselves. For some reason, our labels seem to matter more when we introduce ourselves to a new person or find ourselves surrounded by people that we look up to. My guess is that it probably comes from the drive of wanting to be liked, accepted, and even admired. However, those labels can be taken away in the blink of an eye, and if we cling too much to them, we can be crushed by a crisis of identity. Trust me, I have been there and to be honest, I still wrestly with labels, titles, and idetity.
I want you to know that I may have a long list of labels, but those don't really matter much. I want you to know that I care deeply for people that are hurting and suffering.
I want you to know that I cling to God, even on the really hard days, when I feel broken by the things that I witness in my job or from the loss of my husband.
I am a dreamer, an adventurer, and a wanderer (as the meaning of my name implies). I like to speak blessings over others but some days, I struggle to do that for myself and those closest to me.
I like to write and share stories and it is my hope that through my experiences in living with all of these labels that I can share a bit of wisdom, insight, or guidance to those who have found themselves wrestling with loss and tragedy.
This Is Who I Am
