Find the MOMENT.

Teaching at a blind school has its pros and cons; as does everything else in this life. The day I’m about to tell you about was quite interesting………  

It started out as an unusual day, but it didn't stop me from looking up. As myself and the other teachers brought all of the kids into the class, we started our days as normal. We did our usual signing in, greeting time, and reading activity. There were multiple times where kids acted out, scram, pinched, etc. Our day went on, we made our way to the lunch room and started eating, the child I was helping did not want to eat. (He is completely blind, and sound really frustrates him.) As he continued to be frustrated he acted out, threw himself to the floor and hit his head on the hard cement tile. He scram and started crying hard. The frustration/ confusion in his eyes made my heart break.  Each time I tried to make him stand up, he would repeat the process of lying on the floor crying. As I sat back watching him hurt himself, I started to tickle his stomach and talk to him calmly. I tickled his hair and talked to him so he would be distracted from all of the background noise. This process slowly worked. Once it was time to go to class he did not want to walk; we would get so far and then throw a tantrum. (Keep in mind he is a child that will pinch and pull anything he can get his hands on (hair, skin, clothes, you name it)) As we were now in the main hallway, he was crying on the floor and refused to get up. I decided to ask him something I never thought would work, "Would you like me to carry you?" As a light came into his eyes, he stood up willingly and climbed right into my arms. I continued walking to the class praying that I wouldn't be bald by the time we walked into the classroom. To my surprise he started patting my back, CALMING ME!!!

When I left, thoughts rushed through my mind. All of the craziness, the noise, pain, tears, etc seemed minuscule.   The day that seemed to be awful, was put on hold. Because that one moment, that moment I held him in my arms, showed me that pure love and hope make everything seem so much brighter and better.   It reminded me to stop worrying about the insignificant things in my life; focus on the things that make me genuinely happy and love the people who take time and effort to truly “pick me up”.  The little things are most important because they make up the big things.  There are very few people in this life that would physically pick me up off the ground if I was hurt, sad, mad, or throwing a tantrum. 

·         As he threw himself on the floor balling, I was reminded of doing that myself once or twice.  Feeling as if no one was there to pick me up.  No one could hear my insignificant cries.  As I was taken back to times like these in my life, I realized that my family has picked me up from the floor more times than anyone I have met. I’m so grateful for my family and the willingness, love, support, opinions (even when I really don’t want to hear them), sacrifices, laughter, etc.  My family will always be the people to lift me up when my “tantrums” happen.  Who will pick you up?

I challenge you to find the moments in your day that make it seem better, doesn't always  fix the day, but makes you realize the good in life.  Makes you realize why you are living and why you should keep living.  I challenge you to pick people up, even those that don’t deserve it. Ask the question you are afraid of asking. Find out who is there for you in your times of need.  Live every day, even if it starts out as a CON.

loves