It is my right to be an eternal optimist. Even though sometimes my continuous happy go-lucky attitude tends to aggravate people, I have to be optimistic. I have to have hope.
There have been so many times where I would have liked to say to myself, "Give up, Liz. Give in to disappointment. Forget your hope and walk away." However, if I did, every little ray of hopeful sunshine that makes me who I am would be gone. I've always been about hope. I've always been about optimism. I have always been motivated and determined. So what is it about life and love that makes man desire to abandon hope? On the other hand, what is it about life and love that makes me continuously hopeful?
I've been told by some that one of these days I'll wake up to reality and truly see how things are. If that's the case, I sure hope not. Let me be blissfully happy in my ignorance about pessimism, people! It is my hope that keeps me going. It is my hope and optimism that help me get through every day on my own. Don't take that away from me.
In the movie "A League of Their Own" Gina Davis' character is quitting the team (spoiler alert!), looks at Tom Hanks and says, "It just go too hard." In which Tom replies, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. It's the hard that makes it great." Life is supposed to be somewhat difficult. Life is supposed to be a little bit frustrating. But after much tribulation cometh the blessings! Don't give up simply because 'it just got too hard.'
The other day I was grading some math tests and as I was grading I kept thinking, "Liz, what made you think you could ever possibly be an effective math teacher? What were you thinking when you decided to take several math classes to be math endorsed, while teaching math and English, while doing everything else in life?" I was losing my optimism. I started grading a student's test who has some serious struggles in math. I was prepping myself for disappoint when I realized he had only missed one question on the test. I graded that same paper three more times to double check myself. Sure enough, he had only missed one. I was so excited! He received the highest grade in the class. And then it occurred to me: "This is why you teach math. This is why you decided to teach at all. So that you can make a difference. So quit whining and go do it." Optimism and hope restored.
However, sometimes with other things in life it's not that easy or simple. When things in life don't happen when we want or how we want, we tend to throw in the towel, call it quits, and walk away. I've tried. For the record, I epically fail at walking away and giving up. And I'll admit...sometimes it's really annoying, but sometimes it's 100% worth the lessons we learn and strength we gain. So many times I have tried dwelling in disappointment and bitter feelings. It doesn't last long. That's just not me. I'll say I'm calling it quits and two days later, if not two hours, I'm back in saddle ready to go. I have to be optimistic. I have to have hope. I have to be joyful. I think I'd go crazy if I wasn't.
I know I've said it before, but seeing other people makes me happy. I find so much joy in being a witness to the happiness of others. Knowing that they are able to partake and experience blessings that I so desperately want to have makes me happy because if they are seeking for those blessings just like me, then I know how much they've wanted it, and I'm happy they found it! Is that weird?
Anyway, those have been my thoughts for the past few months. It just took me a while to get it "honest to blog." And PS- if you can name that movie, you just became one of my favorite people. :) Just sayin'.
Funny Teacher/Student Thought for the Day:
Student 1: Miss A, you've got to be the swaggest teacher in this school!
Me: Swaggest, huh?
Student 2: Yeah, Miss A. You are totally boss.
Me: Whoa! Swag AND boss? Do you think I can handle that?
Student 1: Definitely. If not, I'll teach you.
Me: Alright. Rock on!
Now, I don't know the exact definitions they want to associate with those words, but it means I'm cool, right? ;)
