handwritten on February 5, 2019
I have an afterschool friend. She is about fifty years old, and she is always ready to give me about twenty hugs before saying hello to me at 5:00 at the copy machine. This beautiful friend, ironically was at my YMCA training many years ago, when I first secured a summer job teaching at one of my former elementary schools. Though a chaotic experience, it was still a good one at that. It prepared me for the beautiful, yet messy classroom ahead and taught me some excellent life lessons. I remember sitting next to this woman. As we completed a YMCA training together, I could not help but wonder why she laughed at everything I said. Was she laughing at me? Did she find me funny? Perhaps she...
handwritten on February 4, 2019
Isn't it ironic these days that probably the one thing we do not allow due to time constraints (or perhaps the one thing we tend to ignore) are questions. I always think to myself, "Another question? I will answer it later." And it is funny because as adults, we tend to ask less questions, ponder less and worry more. Perhaps if we answered the question right away, it may relieve our worries.
Regardless, kids are the best at asking and even answering questions. When we are younger, we want to know everything about everything, and I think this is a beautiful thing. Because the more we ask, the more we find out. The more we ask, the more passionate we become regarding the world around us. The...
handwritten on February 3, 2019
On my Sundays every week, I tend to keep a pretty consistent routine. I travel to Aldi, pick up my groceries for the week and then usually unpack and begin to cook. For me, I am in awe of the crockpot. The crockpot is simply a pot of pure whimsy and magic. Every time I place something inside, I feel like the love grows until the crockpot is overflowing with present and future joy. Unless of course you make the same recipe weeks and weeks in a row. When I was first starting out, it is possibly I made the beef stew one too many times. As my brother remarked with a "Oh my. Beef stew. How original." Magic loses its magic when overused. I'm sure by now many of you probably think to yourself: "...
handwritten on February 2, 2019
Today, I found this quote that I thought was worth sharing. “In the midst of challenge, we must believe that our behavior matters” – Michelle Gielan
This quote truly is the exact definition of rational optimism. Ironically, I have always thought of myself as possessing rational optimism. Sometimes, I do. However, this may be one competency in which I struggle just as much as I succeed. This does excite me. The quote above is a beautiful example of this paradox. We acknowledge challenge but at the same time we must understand that our behavior matters and may make a difference. Notice that I used the word “may.” Use the word will instead of may, and I think the optimism loses its...
handwritten on February 1, 2019
As many of you witnessed on Friday, the travel to work in the city of Pittsburgh and beyond was less than desirable. It was interesting because the snow this time slipped in so quietly. It was almost as if it did not want to be heard or known or interrupted by anyone. As I stepped outside with my boots and two giant school bags, careful not to break my body on the way down the stairs, I immedietely noticed the snow and the roads. Oh. My. These were the two words that continued to repeat inside my head over and over again. I strapped on my seatbelt, took a deep breath and began to remind myself to breath for the next 35 to 40 minutes as I made my way to school.
Truly, I have never seen the...
