My wife gave me a couple of articles to read the other day. One was about having a good relationship between father and son, and the other was about travelling in Turkey. I enjoyed them both, but soon gave up trying to find a connection between the two. I guess it just goes to show how eclectic my wife and I are in what we read.
Anyway, I started thinking about these two articles and then I started thinking about my life. I lived in England for over two years, which means I have a somewhat intimate knowledge of the place, so why haven't I written anything about it? I also remembered that I had the opportunity to spend a lot of one on time with my son over there doing things like swimming lessons, father and son camping trips, etc. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I love my family... very much, and I enjoy and have enjoyed almost every minute we have had together. Every day is a gift as they say, and I don't want to take them for granted, but I digress.
I guess my point is that there is always a connection between every aspect of our lives, and we can find them if we but look. I love to travel. I love my family. Therefore, it stands to reason that I would love to travel with my family. I love to write, I love to travel, I love my family. Therefore it stands to reason that I would love to write about traveling with my family, or that I would love to write about family travel, or that I would love to write about places to travel to. I could go on and on, but the I hope the point that I am trying to make is obvious, and that is, again, that everything we do or experience is connected, if only by experience.
So I have decided to write about my past travels, and about England, Italy, Canada, etc. Sometimes I will write about these things here, other times I will try to publish them wherever I can.
For those of you who regularly follow my blog, (and thank you very much for doing so, and thank you to those who actually click on the follow button on my blog to publicly let me know that you are following) you will notice that there isn't always a rhyme or reason to what I write about, and I don't think that is about to change. I feel that I can express myself much easier if I can express whatever needs to be expressed instead of sticking dogmatically to a particular theme. Having said that, leave comments and let me know if there are things you would like me to write about on the blog, or just leave comments on the blog itself about anything you want. I enjoy reading your comments, and it helps me to know that you are reading and thinking about what I post. I feel a sense of pride and joy when I write, and this blog is a really great venue for doing just that. I would suggest that many of you should start up your own blogs, if you haven't already, and if you do so, let me know and I will happily read and follow yours.
This post has turned into a mishmash of first person and second person narrative, the ideas and thoughts of the moment, and even a bit of pleaing and bargaining. Thanks for staying with me through all of this, and all of the typos, etc. You really are my hero, really...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
My future as a teacher... An aside...
Today, at 3:00 pm Ted Morton will be releasing the Torie's budget for 2010. There has been a lot of supposition and discussion about the upcoming budget, especially among teachers. I am sure that there are other areas that will be affected by the new budget, but as I am a teacher, and education and teaching are the waters I swim in, I have a special interest in how the budget will affect me and my fellow swimmers.
It has been somewhat frustrating that many of the people I talk to have already supposed that my job is going to be cut from this school, and even though I have been given assurances that nothing has been decided as far as my future here, the fact is, that almost every day someone commiserates with me and tells me to have hope. I wonder if hope is necessary when there is nothing to worry about. One big issue for me in all of this is that I find it difficult to think positively when very few people allow me the opportunity to move through my day without focusing on negative possibilities.
I love teaching, and I really enjoy teaching at this school, and I am very frustrated at the timing of all of this.
Having said all of this, I am trying very hard to be positive and hopeful about next year. In fact, this may most likely be the one and only time that I post my thoughts and feelings on this particular topic. Being positive and hopeful means not complaing, not worrying, not being afraid, and not being negative. Besides, I don't want to spend the majority of my time suffering and worrying about a decision that hasn't been made yet. Having said that, it is only human nature to do so, and it is also natural for those who are not threatened to try to comfort those who are, whether said comfort is asked for or not.
I have a wonderful family. I love my wife very much and she and my children are the greatest source of joy in my life. I am greatly blessed, and I am glad to be able to recognize this. Life is change, good and bad, and the reality is that no matter how much or how little we like it, the future is not written in stone, and that is something to be extremely happy about, really. We make our own futures in response to the things that happen in our lives. We can choose to make a positive future, or we can choose to make a negative one.
Life is like that... and I for one, would not have it any other way.
It has been somewhat frustrating that many of the people I talk to have already supposed that my job is going to be cut from this school, and even though I have been given assurances that nothing has been decided as far as my future here, the fact is, that almost every day someone commiserates with me and tells me to have hope. I wonder if hope is necessary when there is nothing to worry about. One big issue for me in all of this is that I find it difficult to think positively when very few people allow me the opportunity to move through my day without focusing on negative possibilities.
I love teaching, and I really enjoy teaching at this school, and I am very frustrated at the timing of all of this.
Having said all of this, I am trying very hard to be positive and hopeful about next year. In fact, this may most likely be the one and only time that I post my thoughts and feelings on this particular topic. Being positive and hopeful means not complaing, not worrying, not being afraid, and not being negative. Besides, I don't want to spend the majority of my time suffering and worrying about a decision that hasn't been made yet. Having said that, it is only human nature to do so, and it is also natural for those who are not threatened to try to comfort those who are, whether said comfort is asked for or not.
I have a wonderful family. I love my wife very much and she and my children are the greatest source of joy in my life. I am greatly blessed, and I am glad to be able to recognize this. Life is change, good and bad, and the reality is that no matter how much or how little we like it, the future is not written in stone, and that is something to be extremely happy about, really. We make our own futures in response to the things that happen in our lives. We can choose to make a positive future, or we can choose to make a negative one.
Life is like that... and I for one, would not have it any other way.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Some things are more important than others...
I was at the North and Central Alberta Teachers Convention last week. The first session I went to was... well... let's just say it was and leave it at that. The next session that I went to was much better; I actually took away something that I can apply in the classroom, and in my own life too.
Just before the second session began, I posted a comment on FaceBook about chest pains, or some such, and I was amazed at the speed of the feedback that I received. I even had a phone call from England within minutes of me posting. I am touched and honoured that all those who told me to go to the doctor actually took the time to do so. I know that I have friends and people who care for me and that is wonderful knowledge to have.
Last night, I started to wonder about these 'phantom' pains/spasms/tightnesses/ feelings that I was having in my chest. I started wondering if it was serious, or not, and if so was I ready to leave the world. It was a pretty scary night and I started to think like everyone who thinks the end is near... I started to think about the things I didn't want to leave behind. My family came first in my thoughts, naturally. Then I started to think about the things that I had done wrong, you know... the sins and wrongs committed and left unrepaired and unrepented. Happily, my list is not long, but the fact that I do have a list at all is a sign that there are things that I need to do. I made some decisions, said some prayers, and went to sleep. (For those of you who are interested, I did go to the doctor and I am awaiting the results. I was told to hang tight and wait unless things get worse. If they do, then I am to run to emergency, which I promise I will do.)
I have recommitted to improving my health, attaining and maintaining a healthy weight, and making sure that I don't add to my sin list and try to clear it off. I know that there are priorities in life and that I need to make sure mine are clear and appropriate. I need to make sure that I have fun. I need to make sure that I reconnect with old friends, and make new ones. I need to spend more and better time with my family. I need to appreciate every minute of my life. I don't need to worry about the future, or stress about things... anything. I need to accept that life throws things your way and you either dodge them as best as you can, or catch them and hold on tightly. I need to trust that I will know the difference.
Life is like that... and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Just before the second session began, I posted a comment on FaceBook about chest pains, or some such, and I was amazed at the speed of the feedback that I received. I even had a phone call from England within minutes of me posting. I am touched and honoured that all those who told me to go to the doctor actually took the time to do so. I know that I have friends and people who care for me and that is wonderful knowledge to have.
Last night, I started to wonder about these 'phantom' pains/spasms/tightnesses/ feelings that I was having in my chest. I started wondering if it was serious, or not, and if so was I ready to leave the world. It was a pretty scary night and I started to think like everyone who thinks the end is near... I started to think about the things I didn't want to leave behind. My family came first in my thoughts, naturally. Then I started to think about the things that I had done wrong, you know... the sins and wrongs committed and left unrepaired and unrepented. Happily, my list is not long, but the fact that I do have a list at all is a sign that there are things that I need to do. I made some decisions, said some prayers, and went to sleep. (For those of you who are interested, I did go to the doctor and I am awaiting the results. I was told to hang tight and wait unless things get worse. If they do, then I am to run to emergency, which I promise I will do.)
I have recommitted to improving my health, attaining and maintaining a healthy weight, and making sure that I don't add to my sin list and try to clear it off. I know that there are priorities in life and that I need to make sure mine are clear and appropriate. I need to make sure that I have fun. I need to make sure that I reconnect with old friends, and make new ones. I need to spend more and better time with my family. I need to appreciate every minute of my life. I don't need to worry about the future, or stress about things... anything. I need to accept that life throws things your way and you either dodge them as best as you can, or catch them and hold on tightly. I need to trust that I will know the difference.
Life is like that... and I wouldn't have it any other way.
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