I just turned 60 years old. Wow! I remember when I thought that 40 was old and that was over 20 years ago. I work in the field of Early Childhood Field for a non-profit preschool serving 85 children.
I have been doing this for almost 20 years. Before I was in the Graphic Arts field. Sometimes I think I should have stayed in that field, especially when it comes to the money aspect, but other times I think that I am right where I am supposed to be. What makes that a reality is some really awesome children. Along the way there are some challenging ones too, some downright stinkers!
I named this blog Reasons for Gladness after a book that was read to my 6th grade class during religion instruction at a Catholic school on the northwest side of Chicago. Sr. Catherine Marie would read chapters from the book each day. It was a bitter sweet story about a Catholic family. My mother’s parents came from Ireland and they were the only grandparents that I knew. My father’s parents had passed away before I was born. I had a wonderful relationship with my Gramma Treacy and I think that was in part why I connected with this story. The other draw was their large family and I was the middle child of 5. I had bookend brothers with an 18 year age span. Of the three girls in the middle, I was the middle girl. Problem child on two counts….
I’m going to challenge myself to write at least 3 times a week, hopefully 5 – recording those small moments in the day that help keep my spirits buoyed in this tumultuous world.
Today I was reminded about a Reason for Gladness by a young lady who just turned 5. Z always runs over to me whenever she sees me. When I stop in her classroom, no matter where she is she runs over to me and says HUG. Those hugs can melt away a lot of my daily stress. You know the paperwork deadlines, the reports to funders/grantees, the recording and filing of screening forms, all that busy, albeit necessary work is always overshadowed by a moment like this.
I know that I need to focus more on those moments and less on the other issues – like staff being rude to one another or believe it or not ME!
I had a great childhood and think every child deserves the same! More on that at a later time.
Reasons for Gladness 