Tag Archives: #hope

Because You Have the Least Chance for Retaliation

Uncategorized, , , , , , , ,

While having dinner with friends the other night, we were chatting about the upcoming filings for local governance; those positions like school board, city council, and mayor just to name a few. One friend mentioned running for city council. When asked why, this friend said it was because there was no reason to worry about retaliation. Our friend does not have a business in the community and also does not work in the community in which we live.  

How sad. I would hope we would NEVER have to worry about retaliation.

This dinner conversation sparked a memory from my early years teaching future teachers.

One fall, many many years ago, I was appointed to mentor a colleague who was struggling with communication skills. At first I was honored thinking I must be good at communication especially since this was only my second year at this position.

I asked the Dean at that time “why me? It is only my second year.” Well, I quickly found out it had nothing to do with my personal skills. His response shocked me…

“Because you have the least chance for retaliation.”

WHAT??  

I was a lot younger back then and didn’t even hardly know what retaliation meant. Let me define it just in case some of you aren’t quite sure either. According to Merriam-Webster.com, retaliation means, “to get revenge; to repay in kind.”

I was stunned by the Dean’s answer. My response was, “do people actually do that?”  

Yes, I guess they do.

John 18 tells the story of Simon Peter retaliating when soldiers arrived at the garden to arrest Jesus.

“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)

Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away!”’ ~John 18:10-11a

Amen to that command.

Some folks probably think I look at life through rose colored glasses. Maybe I do, but, I will always have hope for a world that does not retaliate. I will always have hope for a world that is only filled with people getting along, caring for each other, and loving one another. Hope…it’s all we really need.

In spite of Facebook being a platform for retaliation (and a lot of other nonsense), once in great while someone will post something that restores my joy. Study the picture below. What do you notice? What do you wonder?

📷 Credit: Theresa Stangle

This picture would be a lovely view through my rose colored glasses. Three opposing teams and no retaliation what-so-ever. This picture brings such hope and joy to my heart. From the boys, to the t-shirt message, to the words printed on the tent…all so uplifting.

Let’s put our swords away and stop retaliating. Let’s be thankful some are willing to run for City Council because most of us wouldn’t want that task anyway. Let’s be thankful some are willing to mentor others graciously. Let’s cheer each other on even when we are on opposite sides. Let’s empower each other.

Stay Calm & Put Your Sword Away!
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V. 

Educators…May the Fourth Be With You!

Uncategorized, , , , ,

Tonight at dinner, my almost-adult son, who is set to graduate from high school in just a few weeks, asked me, “Mom, do you know what holiday it is today?” I immediately wondered… well, I think it’s past May Day, and I don’t remember it being Cinco de Mayo yet. The days are sometimes hard to keep track of lately it seems. “Hmmm… Oh, I know… It’s Educator Appreciation Week!” My son just looked at me and smirked, “May the Fourth Be With You!”

starwars-1588647778707-1159
Master Yoda… courtesy wallup.net

Okay – so maybe great minds do think alike. The Star Wars analogy is not lost on me when I think about it being Educator Appreciation Week. Teaching and learning made the jump into the hyperspace of remote learning with almost no time to prepare. Amazing.

Stick with me as I further consider the parallels between education today and Star Wars.

Every parent everywhere… “Help me, [educators]. You’re my only hope.” ~ Princess Leia

Naysayers who thought remote learning could not be done?… “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” ~ Darth Vader

The possibility of remote learning not working… “Never tell me the odds!” ~ Han Solo

Where are we learning the rest of this week… “Chewie, we’re home.” ~ Han Solo

Getting our learning on tomorrow and the day after… “Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
~ Yoda

When we move on after this unprecedented time into a new future of teaching and learning… “When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will be you. The Force runs strong in your family. Pass on what you have learned.” ~ Yoda

With the unrest in our world…”We must keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.” ~ Queen Jamillia

Tomorrow when I think there is just too much to possibly accomplish… “I’m one with the Force. The Force is one with me.” ~Chirrut Imwe

When we see our friends at school again… “Oh, my dear friend. How I’ve missed you.
~ C-3PO

To all the educators and students out there… “The Force will be with you. Always.”
~ Obi-Wan Kenobi

And each day… always have “Hope.” ~ Princess Leia

Even if you aren’t a Star Wars fan, you have to admit there are some positive takeaways for those of us, all of us in Education today. There continues to be a lot of wisdom and life lessons to share.

Take time to thank an educator this week. Or how about thanking more than one? It takes a village, and now that most parents have experienced a glimpse of the life of a teacher, it would make sense to thank the entire village. Thank you!

Thanks to my son’s teachers for stopping by to say hi – from a distance – and share some learning treats! The COVID-19 journal is awesome! JR enjoyed the pretzels, too!
Teachers COVID19

Although educators – teachers, support staff, and administrators may come and go – their impacts last a lifetime. Thank you, educators, for all that you do!
Oh  – and May the Fourth Be With You!

Stay Calm & May the Fourth Be With You!
Profs Dr. Wendy & Dr. V. 

Cutest Glow Worm I’ve Ever Seen

Uncategorized, , , ,

BlogGlowworm2

Remember that cute little Glo Worm® toy that parents would buy for their kids so their children would feel safe at night from the soft glow it illuminated? I confess…I never bought one of those for my kids when they were little. Sorry kids.

Well, I’ve been redeemed…my 30-year old daughter received her first “glow worm” on Sunday. 🙂 And if I do say so myself, he is the cutest little glow worm I’ve ever seen.

Please allow me the pleasure of introducing you to the newest addition to our family…my little (big) grandson, Tyus…

BlogTyusGlowWorm

Isn’t he one of the cutest glow worms you’ve ever seen? 🙂 Tyus decided to show up a few weeks early and has been in the NICU since Sunday. He is the biggest baby in there. He weighed in at 10 pounds 14 ounces. Big boy…and a fighter.

Because my daughter is a Type I Diabetic, Tyus was getting lots of extra insulin while in the womb. Now that he is on his own and no longer getting his mommy’s insulin, his blood sugars needed to be stabilized. Tyus also had a little fluid in the lungs so needed some extra help with O2, and today his jaundice got a little bit worse; which has made him become that cute little glow worm in the picture above. He is making great gains each day, though, and for that we are grateful. Our hearts glow with love. God is good!

Tyus is our new addition. A perfect gift for the upcoming New Year. He represents new life and isn’t that what we all need in the New Year…new life? I know I certainly do.

A new beginning.

A chance to start over.

A time to let go of the old, and start with brand spanking new. A new year…what a great opportunity for me. What a great opportunity for you. For all of us.

I mess up EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Some days way worse than others. But, with God’s endless love and grace and mercy and forgiveness, I get a new beginning each day. And so do you. Just like our new sweet little baby boy is the perfect gift for our family, God’s gifts of infinite love and mercy and grace and forgiveness are the perfect gifts for all of us.

To Tyus…my prayers for you are to keep gaining strength so you can go home with your mommy and daddy real soon. Keep fighting, little buddy. Grandma will keep praying.

To my daughter and son-in-law…my prayers for you are a peace of mind that passes all understanding, a massive faith, and an abundance of patience as Tyus continues to get stronger and heal.

To our readers…my prayers for you are to be blessed with new life and new beginnings in 2016. May you find that soft glow of love too.

Lastly, to my blogging partner…my prayers for you are that you are enjoying rest and relaxation on the beach in Cabo. I’m sure you are a cute glow worm as you soak up the sun’s rays. 🙂

Small request to ask…if you believe in the power of prayer, maybe throw one or two up for Tyus, will you? My heart will glow with thanks.

Happy New Year everyone! May you be blessed indeed in 2016! ~Wendy

TyusMommyDaddy

Stay Calm & Lead On!
Profs Dr. C. & Dr. V.

How to Wage War Against Loneliness

Uncategorized, , , ,

BLOG Wendy & mom

Do you ever feel lonely? I do. Please don’t judge me. I have a husband who loves me. I have two delightful adult children who both have charming spouses. I am blessed with two adorable grandchildren with a third one on the way. I have friends. I have a profession that I am passionate about. And yet…I still get lonely.

Loneliness does not discriminate. Young or old, black or white, male or female, big or small…everyone gets lonely. Here is how dictionary.com defines this feeling that can sometimes overwhelm us: Loneliness: Depressing feeling of being alone.

Lonely wears different hats. Sometimes being alone is just what we need. Off by ourselves, praying or meditating or just soaking in the quiet. Sometimes lonely grabs us with her sharp talons and rips our hearts to pieces. Here’s how I became prey to loneliness:

Loneliness grabbed me with her piercing claws in 2004, and it has been a rollercoaster ride of remission, reoccurrence, remission, reoccurrence ever since. Once in a while I think I’m finally done with this silly feeling. And then…WHAAM, loneliness tackles me down again. Stupid stuff!

In the spring of 2004, my friend decided to turn away from our friendship and explore other options. We had been friends for many years and just like that, with no warning, I was excluded from her life. This rejection punched me in the heart and left a huge bruise mark shaped like loneliness.

That same spring also found my baby graduating from high school. She had made the decision to go to college far, far away. Off to Boise Idaho she went. The empty nest crushed my heart leaving it smashed to lonely smithereens.

Beginning in the summer of 2004, my husband had to travel more than usual for his job. He was absent from home two out of four weeks a month. His absence went on for several months and it left me truly alone. No one home. No husband. No children. No best friend. Loneliness slithered in and wrapped itself around my heart and suffocated me.

Thank goodness 2004 has come and gone. The lost friendship has been reconciled, the daughter has moved back to her home town, and the husband no longer has to travel. Still, loneliness tends to sneak back up on me once in a while.

When extreme loneliness begins to slither its way back into my life to smother my heart, I fight back. Here’s how…

*Reading my devotional each and every morning helps.

*Reading scripture helps.

*Praying about it helps.

*Talking about it helps.

*Journaling about it helps.

*Praying about it helps.

*Surrounding myself with those I love helps.

*Being active helps.

*Praying about it helps.

*Chatting with my Professional Learning Network via Twitter helps.

*Laughing helps.

*Praying about it helps.

*Smiling helps.

*Hugging helps.

*Praying about it helps.

*Walking and swimming helps.

*Getting OUT of the house helps.

*Praying about it helps.

If you ever feel lonely, trying one or all of the ideas above might be a good way to help you combat against loneliness. ~Wendy

How have you won the war against loneliness?

Stay Calm & Lead On!
Profs Dr. C. & Dr. V.

Perspective: The Lens We Choose

Uncategorized, , , , ,

google images
google images

BLOG perspective
google images

Is the glass half full or half empty? Is the day partly sunny or partly cloudy? Maybe your answer depends on the day or circumstances… Did you get your list accomplished or did that driver just cut you off? Too often “life happens,” and we have to deal with the hand that is dealt. Do we learn from our experiences – both accomplishments and defeats, and continue to move forward or do we let our experiences define what is possible or impossible and give up?

We listened today to our colleague and friend speak at the Legacy Foundation Luncheon. This extraordinarily strong woman shared about her experience of losing her son almost eight years ago. In her grief, she wrote her book titled No Ordinary Son, which was written to share her story with others; with all of us to help us experience how wickedly brutal grief can be and what we can choose to do with it. Our table was sharing napkins to wipe away our tears because we weren’t prepared with Kleenexes. Then, we had to reapply our make-up once we returned to our offices. In the end, our colleague received a standing ovation and applause that was filled with love and emotion!

In her short 40 minutes of sharing her incredible journey with us, these five points struck a chord in our hearts. Below we share our interpretation of them:

Grief is cruel: Everyone experiences grief differently. It can be the green monster that haunts us to shreds. Anger can imprison us. Grief can come and go, and we can’t be sure when it will hit us hardest or again and again. Lean on loved ones; we don’t have to do this alone.

Do something: When a loss occurs, sometimes people tend to not say or do anything because of fear of saying or doing the wrong thing. Doing nothing seems to be better than doing something that is wrong. She gently reminded us that doing nothing is way worse than doing something that is wrong. She thought people didn’t care when they chose the do nothing route. Do something for others who have experienced loss. Do not worry if it is wrong or right. Do it anyway!

Happiness is a choice: People sometimes wait their whole life to be happy. We make the choice to be happy. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A person will be about as happy as they make up their mind to be.” Our colleague encouraged all of us to choose happiness each and every day.

Time DOES NOT heal all wounds: Time does not take away the pain of losing someone we love. However, there is hope in knowing that we can and will survive a tragedy. The loved one continues to live on with us. We can be better people when we remember them and live for today.

Family is the foundation to survival: She not only lost her son, she also lost her family and the way it used to be. She lost her parents because she used to go to them for reassurance in life and she no longer felt like she could. She lost her Best Friend who used to listen to her and love her and never leave her. Today, she knows family is what helped her heal. Her family members walked by her side and never left her. And that Best Friend…He never did leave her side, in fact He carried her through her darkest days.

Next time you are speaking with a friend in a coffee shop, in your classroom with your students, or in a line near a stranger, remember the lens you choose to use can make all the difference in your perspective. Thank you, Tanya McCoss-Yerigan, for sharing your story with us and reminding us that happiness is attainable even in the worst of times.

Stay Calm & Lead On!
Profs ~ Dr. C. & Dr. V.