On the outside, it may seem that I have it all. I am fortunate enough to not have to work full time, I am able to pick up and move out of my townhome and move into an area where I will be able to have lots of new and interesting experiences. Most of all, I get to make choices in my life that are always backed by those I love.
However, all my good fortune comes at a price. It's almost like the opposite of what I wrote about is true. I may not have to work full time, but that comes at the price of not having what I would characterize as a successful career. I have always viewed my career as important to me, and have always been very ambitious. I feel like something is missing without my work to help define who I am. True, there are more things in life than having a career, but for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to work with and help others in some positive way.
Yes, I am able to move and start fresh with Doug, which is something I am very grateful for. But I left behind a life I knew and lived, mostly on my own, for the last 15 years. I am equally excited and terrified.
I suppose my worries in life are few, and for that I am very fortunate. I guess my point is, that no matter how happy or successful one may seem on the outside, might mean nothing on the inside.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
A Second Chance
As many of you know, I am a School Counselor, working with adult students in an evening high school program. Everyone who comes through my doors has dropped out of high school. Some students are returning to school because they are being forced to (the 16 year-olds in particular), but most of my students are there because they want to be there. They range in age from 16-80, which is why I love what I do.
Our students are far from traditional. Most of them have full time jobs, children and families. This makes coming back to school even harder for them. They are hopeful, but discouraged from the beginning. Some students have been out of school for so long, they feel it's just easier to stop coming to class when it isn't as easy as they hoped it would be.
This actually makes my job very enjoyable. I am a motivator. When a student starts to skip classes, I call them and encourage them to come back. They usually do.
Last night was the graduation for the Adult High School students I work with.
I have participated in 5 graduations through my career. I love graduation! Everyone is so optimistic and proud. This year, several of my students are going on to college to further their education.
However, what stuck with me last night was how grateful my students were. They felt they were being given a second chance.
Which, of course, got me thinking...
Imagine if everyone who has made a choice that didn't work in their favor had the gumption to take a second chance? Why can't everyone be as optimistic? So often, we believe that life is what it is, and it can't be changed. Personally, I come from the mindset of making lemonade out of lemons.
I think we could all use a healthy dose of daily optimism. Isn't each day a graduation, of sorts? We get a second chance with each rising sun. In my opinion, that should be incentive enough to look at things through rose-colored glasses once in a while.
As one of my students said to me, we all have the ability to see the value in taking chances.
Our students are far from traditional. Most of them have full time jobs, children and families. This makes coming back to school even harder for them. They are hopeful, but discouraged from the beginning. Some students have been out of school for so long, they feel it's just easier to stop coming to class when it isn't as easy as they hoped it would be.
This actually makes my job very enjoyable. I am a motivator. When a student starts to skip classes, I call them and encourage them to come back. They usually do.
Last night was the graduation for the Adult High School students I work with.
I have participated in 5 graduations through my career. I love graduation! Everyone is so optimistic and proud. This year, several of my students are going on to college to further their education.
However, what stuck with me last night was how grateful my students were. They felt they were being given a second chance.
Which, of course, got me thinking...
Imagine if everyone who has made a choice that didn't work in their favor had the gumption to take a second chance? Why can't everyone be as optimistic? So often, we believe that life is what it is, and it can't be changed. Personally, I come from the mindset of making lemonade out of lemons.
I think we could all use a healthy dose of daily optimism. Isn't each day a graduation, of sorts? We get a second chance with each rising sun. In my opinion, that should be incentive enough to look at things through rose-colored glasses once in a while.
As one of my students said to me, we all have the ability to see the value in taking chances.
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