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Parachuting

I have been reading What Color Is Your Parachute, hoping to glean some job tips, further find myself, etc. Last night I did this exercise where you compare, two at a time, two values (what the author refers to as broad outcomes of you life) to figure out which value you value more. In the end, after you have compared all nine to each other, you end up with a ranked list of the most important. The idea is you can use your talents and skills to serve these values. My top ones were as follows:
  1. Will/conscience (when I am gone, I want there to be more morality, justice, righteousness, and honesty in the world)
  2. Heart (when I am gone, I want there to be more love and compassion in the world)
  3. Human spirit (when I am gone, I want there to be more spirituality, faith, compassion, forgiveness, love for God and the human family with all its diverseness) 
  4. Possession (when I am gone, I want there to be more savings, simplicity, and a broader emphasis on the word "enough")
It was a difficult exercise; in many cases, one edged out the other only slightly. But my results were not surprising. I have always valued honesty and justice. And in the last year, I have really made a conscience effort to be a better person, more compassionate. Do the right thing. I am all about turning the other cheek and forgiving. And my faith has been strengthened (for the record, even though I am Catholic, I don't think that is the one "true" religion). The top three are what you are supposed to focus on, but I feel pretty strongly about my fourth one, so I included that as well.

As I was sitting in church today for the start of Catholic Schools Week, I once again thought, "I love these kids." Some of these same kids who are disrespectful towards me when I sub. But I really care about them. Isn't that crazy? And I enjoy subbing. I actually teach. I try to bring current events into the class. And I encourage the kids to be nice, often throwing around God's name (you can't do that in a public school). When a student told me some boys had been making fun of her, I addressed the class as a whole and told them to ask themselves if what they say can hurt another's feelings. And, as I have mentioned recently, I am all about lunch duty. I think of it less as a duty and more like an opportunity to better get to know the kids, parents, and teachers.

I reread a post I wrote about two years ago, one where I talked about how I came to be a teacher, why I left, and how although I liked my current job, I did not think it was my life's work. I am not sure that teaching is my life's work. But it may be. Perhaps I have come (almost) full circle. I am pretty sure, as I have said quite a bit over the past year, that I am meant to make a difference. I can't bring myself to apply to a soulless job (I will, however, if/when we run out of money).

If you would have told me when I wrote that post almost two years ago to the day, that I would be thinking of going back into teaching (well, I kind of am back in teaching) or that I wanted to find a job where I cared more about making a difference and less about finding bad grammar, I would have laughed. Said you were crazy.

And here I am. I have a few upcoming sub days lined up. I have also applied to another school as well as a non-profit. Hopefully something will soon find me. But until then, I will try to continue to make the world a better place in some small measure as best as I can.

Comments

Lynnette said…
Go Facie! I love you, man!

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