It's In You That's Where You'll Find Kindness

It's safe for me to say I've never dreaded the start of a school year more than I do this year. The details are entirely too insane to list out, but I'll leave it at a very real, very toxic, and very stressful situation will be returning to my building, coupled with a medical leave for the teacher of my most needy and challenging students. I was stressed and terrified to the point of inertia last night. If this is how my year is beginning, what is it going to be like by the holidays? It's like that roller coaster at Six Flags New England, the one that begins with the 21-story drop. Only, this isn't likely to get fun.

The friend that pulled me out of the inertia is not one who usually recognized my smoke signals, but for some reason, last night, he did. And through many beers, and lots of songs, including this one more than once, he talked me off that ledge. Told me not to be the victim in this situation, because I'm better than that, took the outsider's perspective, acknowledged a very real fear, and told me in no uncertain terms not to cave in to it because it was not who I am. An assessment I didn't expect, but needed to hear. One of a few amazing realizations in that conversation.

So, a public thank you for putting up with my drama. You did manage to distract me from crying long enough to figure out where to go from here. :)