Turning the impossible into possible
Have you heard similar messages during your career? Thank you for your efforts. You are doing great. You are appreciated.
Some people are genuine. Some have good intentions by repeating cliché’s. Some have unfortunately offered less than sincere hollow rhetoric. At this point of the year and your career, I assume you are proficient at telling the difference.
The conditions that educators have faced for the last three years are almost impossible to explain to non-educators. Stress, anxiety and fear all contributing to decreased personal health, with ever increasing responsibilities, tasks and many times unrealistic job expectations. This lack of understanding applies to state and federal elected officials, parents, community members and unfortunately sometimes our own family. Maybe most disappointing is the lack of sincerity and understanding from colleagues within our own profession who have forgotten how difficult the daily grind actually is.
I understand how all of this cumulative negativity can feel overwhelming and deflating. Life is not fair. Support is based on actions not false narratives. The same people we serve sometimes bite our heads off, privately and publically. (Facebook is not our friend) False supporters speak behind backs with forked tongues while smiling straight to your face.
So what now? Aren’t we owed the opportunity to tell everyone to go straight to Hades with haste? To tell our vocal non supporters to kiss our grits. To walk away regardless of position from a profession that epicly falls short of respecting educators. The answer is yes and no and maybe. Complicated questions have complicated answers and they vary by situation and person.
Similar to the medical profession, society likes to play the guilt card on educators. Our kids need us. Your staff, colleagues, work friends need you. If not us/you then who? Those are factual statements and we continue to sacrifice our own needs, wants and now health to serve those who sometimes show little appreciation. Educators across the nation continue to show up day after day turning the impossible into possible. Currently the impossible seems more impossible than ever.
I urge, hope, challenge you to start small. Find something, anything to be thankful for on the days you think you cannot go one step further. When you look into the eyes of your colleagues, and you see someone exhausted and losing…
