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In this profession, it is way too easy to fall into to the trap of being busy, overwhelmed, and quite frankly, exhausted. We get down on ourselves and sometimes even play the competitive sport entitled “Who’s Busier?!” Instead of stressing out, we all need to sit back, relax, and learn to take some time for ourselves. I have to admit that this is not my strength… I am the antithesis of relaxation and I have chronic headaches to prove it. However, it is something that I am working on.
Here are five things for which I am grateful this Thanksgiving season…
1. My dog. I love him. He’s adorable. No matter what happened at work that day, how late I come home, how sick I feel or how grumpy I am, he is always there. This weekend we took him to Campbell Valley Park and he was the happiest little guy in the world. I was not a dog person until we got him 2 years ago… And now I know the definition of unconditional love and (wo)man’s best friend.
2. Good food. I don’t think I realized growing up how lucky we were in my house. We didn’t have more than we needed, but we always ate good, healthy food. To this day, I am so grateful that my mother taught us the value of good food and nutrition. I am also thankful that I learned how to cook as a child; I wish every child got to experience the magic of creating a meal. An untapped source of creativity, I think…
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3. Education. We are so incredibly blessed to have access to free public education for all. Every so often, I try to imagine what it would be like to not have this access and it breaks my heart. The ability to read and write and learn is so incredible. I think sometimes we forget about the magic of stories and the wonder of free access to information. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn openly.
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4. Sunshine. There is nothing more amazing than a beautiful sunny day in the fall. Enough said.
5. Love and laughter. Although it is sometimes difficult to remember in times of chaos… I love my family, my spouse, my friends, my dog, my students… and I know I am loved in return. I am especially grateful for the amazing group of kids I have this year who have already shared so much joy and laughter with me. Everything is better with laughter!
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Try to take some time for yourself this year and remember to reflect on the positive.
What are you grateful for?
Experiments in Learning 