Sometimes things happen that you don't understand. Actually, alot of things happen that you don't understand. And you think life can't go on. And life goes on. And you are grateful.
Teaching my students about the Declaration of Independence, and why the colonists were motivated to create a government on their own has led us down the most amazing story. Trying to convey to them the importance of the freedoms we experience and are endowed with in America is quite funny. Freedom of speech, such a simple concept right? They think yes, right. So that led us to blogging. And I showed them how essentially I could write anything I wanted (not really about other people), and post it. My inner most thoughts if I wanted.
And then my friend/coworker walked in on the teaching-discussion, and helped me with some simple spelling (thank you so much friend. I needed to come off of the pedastal of oh so excellent speller :-) And that lead to the why haven't you posted? Well, I don't know. Been through a difficult time, separation, divorce, living on my own for the first time in my life, and I don't know how many of those thoughts do we want on the world wide web.
So, I thought I would reflect on the day job (thanks again friend). That is a safe place.
Here is a pic, our end of the year crawfish boil. Our cafeteria manager (so sweet hearted, always something encouraging to say), my coworker/friend of 10 years, our comedian-in-residence/secretary, our fashion leader (one of many), and my future coworker. I felt such apprehension on this day. My 10 year coworker was moving to the high school. I knew she had played with the thought for years and I understood that. Sometimes elementary teaching can be overwhelming, a little bit of this and a little bit of that, throw in some children and a husband, and a house to take care of, and I crash. It was like going from that secure place to something you don't know. When you work with someone a long time, you know them, know how they think, what they like, you know them. And the unknown is scary.
My "new" coworker. We had actually been working together for just as long, not in the same grade but known each other none the less and interacted like people do. We were all part of the upstairs group, and that made interaction more than most. I know I wasn't scared but maybe eager? And now after working six months or so, it is fine. Much less stress, a whole lot easy.
And the cafeteria lady. On a very usual day at the beginning of a new school year, she came around to our rooms and picked up our lunch bags, like she would always do. And she fell down the stairs and hit her head. A brain injury. An injury that we were terrified would take her away from us. But God didn't. She is here, she is okay, she is alive, and we are grateful.
