Holiday Perspective

Given that the holiday season is upon us, everyone is in a mode of giving and steeped in thoughtful reflection of the first ten months of 2009.

Almost every day I am reminded in some way of the very many things that I do have in my life to be thankful for. Oddly enough, it is usually around the time that I find myself wondering miserably why on earth I have been denied something that someone else has, such as a large family to share the holidays with, children running around the house or a daughter of my own to share the joys of holiday shopping with.

Now, this is not to say that I am one who mopes around, head to the ground unhappy all the time singing “woe is me.” Luckily for me I seem to possess the ability to always want to find the good in most situations. I always seem to bounce back quickly into a happy state of mind. While I may not have a large family, I do have wonderful parents who have been my best friends for my entire life. We are always together and share many great memories that we have no problem sharing as we bore anyone who will listen to us recant our tales (we think they are funny!).

I am also fortunate enough to teach nearly 300 different students every school year. I see the same students every day of the week for the three years that they are in the hallways of our school. It didn’t dawn on me at first, but truly I do have close to 1,200 “children” of my own…at least for a portion of each year. There are so many reasons why I am thankful for these kids. They provide me with a constant and never ending source of inspiration. To see the joy in their eyes when they make even the modest of achievements in their work is truly reason enough for me to get up so very early every weekday!

Some may see my minimal family of just my parents and me as a sad thing. I see it as a blessing. I have had the amazing opportunity to remain close to my parents for forty years! I have had people share their sorrow with me over the fact that I have not had children of my own. I look at them a little puzzled because I don’t see this. I tell them “I have close to 1,200 students. What do you mean I don’t have kids?” I may not to see them on the weekend or over holidays, but every weekday for the eight hours that we are in the same building, I get to hear stories of their wacky weekends, share in birthday cupcakes that they bring from home. I get to share the tears when an evil boy breaks one of my young girls’ hearts for her best friend. I then get to share their giggling when the two girls have quickly forgotten all about the evil boy who broke both of their hearts! The boys share their fish tales with me, their victories and their defeats in whatever sport they are playing at the time. I get to hear their lyrics that they write for the garage band that they are going to start that weekend. And every so often, in the months and years that follow the eighth grade commencement ceremonies each year I am reminded of the multitude of blessings I have in my life as a former student comes by just to say hello, or I get a text out of the blue from one of my former “children” who simply wanted to tell me “hello” and that they “love me and miss me.” How could I not be touched by such a gesture of kindness and remembrance?

I dare to have anyone tell me that my life isn’t full of blessings? It is all a simple matter of perspective.

Theresa Jones

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