Perspective

I had parent-teacher conferences this past week. I learned so much about the families and backgrounds of my students this year.

I work in West Chicago, IL. It is a great city full of history. I love driving through the town and seeing horses at one house, an amazing park across the street, and 100+ year old homes. It's great!! However, I work in the part of town that is extremely needy. Many of my families dont make the rent, move several times a year, and dont always have $$ for food. It is definitely a poorer area of town. While the area may be poor financially; they are rich in heart. When we were on strike, we had parents bringing us food, warm drinks, even thrir own home coffee pots! They organized parent meetings to support us teachers.

But, it never fails that there are some conferences that shock me. Having parents cry is nothing new. There are always a few a year. But, never have I cried due to a conference.  I had one meeting this week that absolutely broke my heart and put things into perspective for me. I had met with the mother of a sweet, gentle, well-behaved little girl. She is new to the country with the family moving here less than two years ago. I told the mom how her daughter is sweet and very well behaved, but she needed more practice with speaking English.  Overall, it was an easy conference.  Until she asked her daughters to leave the room... She then proceeded to tell me how less than 2 years ago, the daughters witnessed family members murdered right in front of them. They lived in an incredibly dangerous part of Mexico. Men would drive around in trucks, pull over to the sidewalk, and randomly execute people walking on the sidewalk.  There was more she told me and with each thing my heart broke for my student and her family.

Hearing this made me think. We take our freedoms in this country WAY too much for granted. People complain about how expensive organic food is, how schools aren't funded properly, or bitch about "Obamacare". There are people that don't know if they'll live while walking down the street. Kids in fear that their parents might not come home because they were randomly executed. Children that have to live with the horrors that they've witnessed. I have no place to complain when people are experiencing this. No matter how annoying things might be, there are people that would pray to be in my situation.  So, the next time I catch myself bitching about being inconvenienced, I need to keep my student and others like her in mind.

You're Closer Than You Think

I was reading something the other day, and there was a message about traveling on your journey, "You're closer than you think." We all have journeys that we travel through life. Maybe, you start a new job and you feel like you're going to be a nobody on the lowest rung forever. Maybe you are trying to get out of debt, and it seems like you're never going to ever have money to buy anything you want. Weight, addiction, independence, freedom are all common journeys. All of us at some point has or will set out on a journey in life, and it seems like it will never happen or you'll never get there, so what often happens?? We quit, or give up. The end is nowhere in sight, and we get weary, so we give in. But, its so important to keep going.

This made me start thinking. I have always struggled with my weight and fitness. Every couple months I recommit, do well, then fall off the wagon. How many days have I wanted to quit and just give up? How many times have I thought, "Screw this, I'm just going to eat what I want and do what I want. It's taking too long to get to where I want to be." But, then I think to myself, "I'm closer than I think. I need to keep going. The finish might be coming soon." I'm on the right path to meet my goal.

When I began teaching, I was making a crap salary, working part-time, and pushing myself for very little reward. Then, I kept getting laid off due to numbers. I kept getting rehired, but then I didn't. I was off work for a year. Why didn't I quit? Why not just go look for an office job. I never felt like I was very "important" in the schools I was in, and on the inside I always felt inferior to all the other teachers. I was doubting myself, and it would've been easy to quit the teaching journey. But, I didn't and I'm so thankful. Now, I'm at a school where I feel valued, respected, and important. I don't feel inferior; I feel equal. I'd finally followed my journey and  I'm so glad I didn't give up.

What I'm trying to say is, you are closer to your goals than you think. Keep working out. Keep putting in the hours at work. Keep watching what you eat. Don't throw in the towel because its not following your timeline. Things will come to fruition when they are meant to. Just keep moving forward, and remember, "You're closer than you think."