Gratitude overflows...

I was driving home today and I was feeling blue.  Tears stung at my eyes and while I blinked frantically, I hoped that I wouldn't drive myself off the road.  In an effort to pep up a bit and take my mind off my sadness before I got home, I flicked the radio on.  Ronan Keating was singing away on my radio, happily proclaiming "Don't fight it.  Life is a roller coaster.  Just gotta ride it."  So that's what I'm doing.  Holding on very tightly to this roller coaster as it's upping and downing and sometimes doing a loop-de-loop.  I'd also like to point out, that I actually have been on the roller coaster below.  I held on for dear life and screamed until my throat was hoarse... much like I'm doing now.

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So I decided I was in great need of reflection.  A lot of this post has been rattling around in my mind since the fire at school, and the list of things to be grateful for has only grown longer in the past few weeks.  It's time for a gratitude list.  I like a good list.

• Strangers have big, big hearts and can be so very generous.  After the fire, Louisa's friend Kat, managed to get a heap of stuff for the school, as well as a very generous donation of various art supplies from Faber-Castell.  It was a friend of a friend of a friend's who got it.  They don't know me, nor do they know any of the teachers at our school.  It was just pure generosity and goodwill towards others. 

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• Another post-fire instance of love in action... A former member of the Montessori Trust and a dear friend, told his customers in his shop of the fire at school.  A lovely older lady, who was once a teacher, walked (that's sacrifice enough for me, thanks) to a bookstore and bought a heap of books for the library.  Good books.  Actally, lovely books!  After she dropped them off to Jay at his shop, she went back to the bookstore and bought more, as she felt like she hadn't got enough.  She said she couldn't bear to think of the children being disadvantaged and not having books in the library.  What a beautiful soul.   

 

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• My co-workers (past and present) are also awesome.  They way everyone came together, supported and helped each other was fabulous.  I spent a full day helping another teacher put her classroom together the day before school started.  I have been working with her for 7 1/2 years, and I never really got to know her.  It was nice to get to know her better, and it felt good to give to help someone else.  She was so appreciative and kind - it made my heart all full of joy.  

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• My.  Class.  Is.  Awesome.  I am so happy when I'm teaching.  I have lovely children around me each day, and they make me smile.  The Montessori Trust is wonderful, kind and supportive.  They do so much, not only to support us as teachers, but to ensure that they are doing the best they can for all the children in the unit.  They are beautiful people, with big hearts.  I am grateful that I work so closely with them.

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I suppose it comes down to the simple fact that people are awesome, and life is indeed beautiful. 

I'd love to hear any other stories of the generosity of strangers!

Searching for the Silver Lining.

Yesterday, the unthinkable happened.  Every time a school goes up in flames here, I think, "God... what if...?" and I generally couldn't bear to finish the thought.  Yesterday, sadly, we were forced to stop wondering what if, and it moved to "What now?"

Our beautiful school is still beautiful... just... well... yeah.

So... the silver lining is there, and it's a substantial silver lining... there are things to be grateful for...

1. No one was hurt.  A true blessing in a fire that big.
2. Our school community is phenomenal.  Teachers, former teachers, students and families... everyone will come together and like some guy on the news said, we will end up stronger for it.  I genuinely believe that.
3. It is still an excellent school.  The quality of the teaching programmes and learning that will go on, starting next month has not changed, nor will it as a result of this.   
4. The fire service was amazing.  Utterly amazing.  They contained the fire and stopped it from ravaging the whole school.  I was lucky enough to bump into the New Zealand Fire Service guy, Steve Larkin (I'm not entirely sure that's his last name, but I'm close) when we were leaving the speedway tonight.  I had to stop and thank him for all their hard work last night and the incredible job they did.  He thanked me for speaking to him... it could have been because I was a bit teary eyed as I spoke to him, but he was a really nice man.  
5. My friends and family are wonderful, lovely and supportive.  Love, love, love.  So blessed. x

It's happened and done now.  There will still be tears.  There is still anger, frustration, emptiness and a whole lot of sadness.  But it is also time to rebuild and move forward.