by Janet Scouten
Have you ever found yourself heading down a road and wondering where in the world you were going, only to end up exactly where you needed to be at the exact moment you needed to be there? Well, I have. And I’m not talking about my uncanny knack for getting completely and utterly lost on the streets of the city I’ve lived in for the past 12 years. (At least, I’m not talking about that today. We’ll save those stories for another time.)
I’m talking about the road of life, if you will, and how things tend to work out in ways you never would have imagined. In my particular case, the road I’ve been traveling on has led me right to the doorway of the Palmetto Family Council. And, though I didn’t plan any of this, I am certain that this is the exact place I need to be, and this is the exact moment I need to be here.
And, so, with that being said, let me take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Janet Scouten. I am the new Director of Research at PFC, and I am thrilled to be here. On paper, the path I followed to this new position now makes perfect sense. My degrees are in Political Science and Public Policy Analysis, with a Master’s in English on the side. In my professional life, I’ve been so thoroughly steeped in research and statistical data that I compile spreadsheets in my sleep. And, try as I might, I have never been able to shake this wildly nerdy interest I have in all things government.
On a personal level, however, I am still fairly amazed to find myself in this position. I certainly never set out to be the Director of Anything for an organization that fearlessly and tirelessly works to defend and strengthen the families of this state. In fact, looking back, I don’t think I ever could have imagined what it was I was working so hard to become.
Let me digress for a moment with a little story. -A few months ago, I was talking with my dad about my older brother (yes, Mark, we talk about you when you’re not around) who is famously opinionated and not afraid to share it with the world–and my dad said, “From the time he was a little boy, I always knew he’d be a lawyer.” And, then we turned our attention to my younger sister, who has the softest, kindest heart you can imagine. “Ahhh…She was a social worker from the beginning.” And what about me, the middle child? What did you think I would become? “I didn’t know. But I knew it would be something.”
Mmmm… Something. -Strong praise, indeed.
But I’ll tell you what I did become, long before this particular job at PFC came along. I became a mother. And, so far, it has been my very, very favorite job of all. For the past eight years, my husband and I have had the privilege of raising our two little boys. And, believe me, it has been the greatest honor of our lives.
Oh, if you could meet them. Our older son turns eight at the end of this month, and our little one is five. And the most accurate description I can come up with right now is that they are the handsomest and the nicest and the smartest boys I’ve ever known. But perhaps I’m a little biased…
This is the first year both boys have been in full-day school, and I do miss them…mostly.
Throughout the boys’ baby- and pre-school years, I was fortunate enough to have a job I could do from my home computer, sometimes with a firefighter helmet on my head, sometimes with a cape, and always with frequent breaks to fix somebody a snack or help another somebody in the bathroom. And, odd though it may sound, it has been a fairly big adjustment for me to work without those precious little interruptions coming in to sit on my lap or attack me with their sticky kisses.
But this new season of life has brought with it such an amazing opportunity to turn my attention to the other children and families in our state. Until I had a family of my own, I never fully understood the unrelenting drive certain people had to make this world a better place for children. But I get it now. When you learn to love children with the heart of a parent, your eyes are opened to the needs of all children and families. And while there are as many opportunities to address those needs as there are children in the world–for me, this is my calling. The gifts and talents that God gave me are what brought me to this place, and I am grateful for the work He’s set before me.
We each have our work before us–as they say, every mother is a working mother–and I look forward to hearing from each of you and learning about the work that you do. Whether it’s preparing a meal for a neighbor in need, volunteering at your church or school, or running for Vice President of the United States, I’m interested in hearing about how mothers (and fathers) are working to make this world a better place to raise our kids.
And over the weeks and months ahead, I’ll be keeping you updated on the work the Palmetto Family Council is doing to strengthen South Carolina families. I’m really looking forward to our conversation, and you’ll be hearing from me again very soon.
Thank you!
Filed under: Motherhood
