Remembering Why

Sunday the 29th November and the thirty-fifth Covid blog. 🍁

At the moment, everyone I speak to seems to be feeling the same thing. Exhausted, sad, and fed up with the world and the restrictions we are currently having to follow.

This is my favourite time of year, I love the run up to Christmas. I love the appearance of Christmas lights and everything that we associate with the season. This year however, everything feels so very different despite the fact that it isn’t yet December.

Even the pupils I teach seem to have lost a little of that magic. “It’s not going to be the same this year though, is it Miss?

Except it is the same, the ‘reason’ for this joyful season hasn’t changed.

What ‘has’ changed is our ability to spend this time with those we love, we are limited. Choosing who will be in our household of three, after finally hearing the announcement by our Prime Minster.

Now we all face the harsh repercussions of our decisions.

So, this week I was feeling fairly melancholy and a little off balance, like most of us I would imagine.

This term has felt unsettled and incredibly tiring but there are always those moments and my mindset changed when I was reminded that there are reasons to smile; when once again, I was given the chance to see, that I really do have the best job in the world.

These are the words that drove me a little crazy but they also made me laugh and smile.

I understand that not everyone shares my passion for poetry. I always hope that it shines through when I teach this subject.

This week though, I received several ‘Dead Poets Society’ moments which truly made my heart soar.

As part of the novella we study, we look at a poem by Maya Angelou “Still I Rise” I love her poetry. This poem reflects the oppressive roots of black slavery and prejudice in America. It has the rhythm and the soul of resilience and every time I read it, it takes my breath away. The repetition of the phrase ‘Still I rise’ is so incredibly powerful.

I did not expect the wonderful reaction it received from the words of a thirteen year old boy. “Miss, that was beautiful, it was like music.” His insightfulness and understanding, truly made my day.

Sometimes I am so incredibly proud of the pupils I teach, that I feel I will burst. I know I am not alone in feeling this and I always make sure that I tell them as I believe it makes a difference.

On Friday I had several of these moments and I think I needed that. We all need to see the wonder in our world right now.

There ‘is’ always light, even if sometimes it is a little harder to see. We need to keep searching for those sparkles.

This will be a different Christmas but it’s message is the same as it has always been and perhaps we should remember those who may not have family, those separated by war and famine. The homeless, those living in hidden poverty and those missing at the table this year due to this unyielding pandemic.

This week as we enter the season of goodwill I hope we will all focus on its meaning and try not to dwell on the things we can’t do. Instead, let it remind us all just how very lucky we actually are.

We ‘can’ still see close family and friends within our chosen households and there is one thing we should all take great comfort in:

We haven’t as yet, been put on the ‘naughty list!’ 😉

Stay Safe,

Joy xxx