A Change Visits Me and Reminds Me

source: Flickr (free to use)

This will be a fairly short post tonight.  For those of you expecting and looking forward to another part of the Carolyn adventure, I apologize.  I am not very sick; the antibiotics have done their work.  I am still a bit congested and on the coughing side, but, otherwise, I am good to go.

No, the problem this time came with a small shock that I received on Facebook last night.  I was playing Words with Friends and I received a private message from a teacher I used to work with.  She wanted me to know that one of the students I had in class passed away.  Now, for those of you who have not followed me from the start, I need to tell you a couple of things:  First, I taught a rough bunch.  They were the problem children of the school systems; many were bussed in from other schools.  Most of them swore, many stole, many had had previous problems with the law.  They were, without a doubt, very difficult to manage on good days.  Second, I love each and every one of them.  I liked all but a couple, and I tried to like those.  Third, we had a connection that was very close in many cases.  I made it a point to work hard with the most difficult ones.  This student was one of those.  He was very likeable, just had many issues and problems.

His passing caught me way off-guard.  You have those ideals in mind when you have your own children that they should outlive you.  You should not have to bury your children.  These were much younger than my children.  And, in case of point, they were my children, at least, for awhile.  I met with their guardians; I discussed lessons with them; I helped them to achieve things, some of which they did not think they could do.  In short, I had invested much time and effort in each one of them.

So, tonight, instead of writing about death and the end of the world, I encourage you to hug your children a little tighter and to make certain you know what’s going on in their lives as well as how their health is.  Above all, make sure you tell them how much you love them.  My children and my students did always know that.  No regrets there.

Namaste,

Scott

Flash Friday – 150 Words – “A Take on ‘A Bridge Too Far'” – Rated PG13

Fairy walking bridge, Huangshang, China. Photo by Jesse Varner.

Time again for Flash Friday hosted by Rebekah Postupak.  This week – a 150 word (exactly) story based on the photo prompt above.  After reading by entry, click > HERE < to see the rest of the entries.  Enjoy!

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Jalinth found a small handhold in the cliff’s nearly sheer side and pulled himself up another foot.  He then lodged his foot in a crevice to give his hand and arms some relief.  He had been doing this over and over for hours now, trying to gain access to the bridge path near the half-way point of the mountain.

His arms and legs ached and he felt so near the point of exhaustion that his breathing would hitch every few intakes.  His mind whirled and he started the ordeal again.

With herculean effort, he pulled himself up to where his eyes cleared the edge.  Not daring to smile lest the energy sap him completely and he fall to his death, he swung over and onto the two-foot wide ledge at the bridge.  He translated the Chinese lettering on the pass itself, written in bold red strokes:

Bridge Out

He cried.

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Namaste,

Scott

Monday, Monday…Can’t Take that Day….(music)

It’s Monday and, it used to be, that Mondays were hated by me in that I had, like most others, to get up to work and start that nasty work week. I remember always thinking “what a way to spend 1/7 of your life”.

Now, I realize that, on Tuesdays, I complained about being tired from Monday.
Wednesday, the week was only 1/2 done.
Thursday, everyone was tired and worn out with only 1 day left,
and Friday/Saturday were too short to get it all done.

What an attitude (however, I did learn it from a lot of people around me).
Since my stroke, I usually wake up thinking “Wow, I am awake! I get to start another day alive.”  It makes me a bit more happy to do whatever is in store for me.

I still try to apply a general work week to my schedule. Monday-Friday I try to get up about 9, eat and get things going by 10, work til 1, lunch and relax until 2, then work from 2-5 or 6, eat, then have the evening to myself.

The difference is that I enjoy each day and if something messes up the work schedule, I try to simply flow with it. I put down cleaning as work, groceries as work, writing as work, even this blog as work. That way, I can change my day around a lot.

You can do the same, no matter what you do for a living. Even in a factory where you do the same thing over and over, you can group it into sets of 10,20, 50, 100, whatever. Each time you finish a group, at least, give yourself a pat on the back if you can’t take 1 minute to relax. Use your breaks, they are time for you. Don’t do your usual work during breaks, don’t make yourself do anything but enjoy them; otherwise, you come back to the job even more tired than you were.

The one that seems to stick a lot of people is the “I hate my job.” Well, there’s two trains of thought:

First, I got to where I didn’t like my job (my life) or enough of it to cause me to quit (not stroke).   Not my teaching, this would have been back when I was in computers.  When you reach the point of giving up, find something else; I know this is a rough economy, but look, and with enthusiasm. The PC makes looking a whole different ballgame. My! I realized not too long ago that, if I chose, I am disabled, not hooked to a job and could move ANYWHERE. I doubt that I do, but it’s a perk of being disabled.

Second, if changing/moving are really not options, then change what you do or, at least, how you do or approach what you do.  Change your work center a bit: a little color or humor.  Change your attitude.  Make yourself smile and say something nice or humorous when you don’t feel like it.  You might be surprised at how differently you will feel over time.  Changing even the order of a couple of things can make your whole day different.

Finally, at least, or should I say always, take 10 minutes when you get home, even if you are still in the car, to breathe easy, relax, and put the day behind you.  Coming home at full steam is seldom good.

Read “Do What You Love and the Money Will Follow” – excellent book. At least, take the concept to heart. Enjoy your Monday; couldn’t hurt.

Namaste
Scott

Thank you so much

Thanks, Linda.
It is really reassuring to see you a part of this blog. I have come a long way in my journey as I know you have, too. Yet, we still have just as far to go, just in different ways now.

God is simply so present in all our lives. There are just so many who cannot see Him yet. That doesn’t make us any more special; it simply means we are learning how to look; how to see the patterns; how to notice the small bits of handiwork He leaves behind to help us all together. That’s the big thing; He is helping us all together.

I am almost to the point where I don’t see it as a Plan, but more of a general direction. We make our choices, free and clear, then God takes all of the mess and adds them together, doing little things to help directions move. All of that together forms such an intricate pattern leading to “all things working out in the end.” It is unimaginably complex, but only to us.

I play video games and, in the beginning, it is so difficult. There is just so much to learn and so many choices in the ones I like. Now, many hours later, most of it seems second nature and I “see” more things at the same time. They were always there, but now I “see”. Same with God’s plan; we have to train ourselves to see the patterns of how things work together; the “coincidences” (I don’t really believe in those) that happen all the time. This leads to that which is followed by that which couldn’t happen without this and, out of it all, the best happens.

I am over-simplifying, but this is what I want to dig through in this blog. Not just that, but I think it is important that we begin to see it for ourselves. For then, perhaps, we can make it easier on us to get to the same place without so much trouble and effort.

Namaste.