My closest friend in school tells me I am too negative. She told me to take a day off to try to get my head in order. She's right and wrong. One day won't help, but I am too negative. I'm going to start thinking about one positive thing that happens every day. There have got to be more positive than negative things, otherwise I would retire.
Today's thought: My friends at work.
No matter how I might appear to the outside world, I am really very shy. I fear rejection so I keep to myself most of the time. Over the years I've let a few people into my world and I am grateful to have them as friends.
1. My group of 6--we go out and celebrate birthdays together. We all put in $25 and take the birthday person shopping and then out for a dinner.
2. The cafeteria people--I always know where I can get an awful cup of coffee but bond with the friendliest, nicest people in the building.
3. The custodial staff--who share my love of Principal Suit.
4. My friend R-who cleaned my car on Valentine's day before he went home to celebrate that day with his new wife.
5. My friend L--"the cutest guy" in the building. I love everything about him, from his shorts to his tee shirts and his sock less feet. He has a heart of gold. May he live to a the age of 100 and die with a piece of chalk in his hand.
8 comments:
We all need peace (of mind). Period. Seeing the positive is necessary for the soul. It has nothing to do with balance. I think you still need to shout and rant about the inexcusable things going on in your school. If this is a city-run school, then clearly the system has collapsed. The parents, students and concerned teachers need to take over because the system has failed it. A failed system might even close the school and leave students and teachers to fend for themselves, rather than actually fix the problems (and the ones you've described are pretty easily fixable). Your friends may well try and persuade you to "look on the bright side" so that you will stop ranting! Meaning what? Stop seeing and railing at injustice? You're too honest for that. But be honest about the beauty and peace that is there, too, inside of you as well as outside.
Your pictures remind me of an anecdote Gatto described as a defining moment in his career: fixing a hole in the ceiling (to stop students in the classroom above throwing detritus down onto his pupils). When nothing was done (except paperwork) for months, Gatto went in and fixed it himself one evening with a couple of boards and some nails. Next day, he found the boards had been removed, and he was given a reprimand by some idiot superior. He realized, the system isn't broken, it's working exactly as it should.
My friends see the injustices in the system too. They just don't like seeing me so miserable about them all the time.
Thanks for your comments. Hopefully someone will find a way to fix some of these things.
I had no running water in the bathroom sink for 2 years. It took the threat of a call to the health department to bring them to action on that.
See how adroitly you turned your loathing of Principal Suit into love because you share the feeling with the custodial staff--all in the name of being positive? I am impressed!
I'm with you up to the dying with chalk in hand. I also envision a potential rap with "My friend R who cleaned my car."
Teaching is one of the few things that makes my friend L happy. He was all set to retire a few years ago, got his gold watch and everything. When it came down to handing in his papers, he couldn't do it. He should be healthy enough to do this as long as he wants.
If you have friends in the building, your group of six sounds like my 'lunch-bunch', then you can get through what feels like everything.
I'm glad you were nominated for a thinking blogger too, as your blog always gets me thinking, and upset on your behalf, even though I don't comment as much as I should. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your nice words ms. george. I think we all need to know we are not alone in our miseries.
This is interesting because I made a pact with myself to try to rid myself of negativity and to even go back to saying a few affirmations throughout the day in order to ward off negativity and become more positive. To add to that a friend gave Dr. Man and I the DVD "The Secret." Dr. Man fell asleep watching it, but I didn't. While I was very familiar with the message/principles and even recognized a person in the DVD, I know that watching it was meant for me.
Given our current work climate, I think that it's so easy in our line of work to develop negative feelings. It can seem as if everyone from parents to administrators to the government and even some colleagues are against us. But recognizing the positive, while difficult at times, can be an overwhelming force to be reckoned with.
Anyway, from one colleague to another. Hang in there! You're not alone (as ou can clearly see). You inspire me. :)
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