Every spring on a high school campus the arrival of college acceptance letters creates both celebration and anguish. As staff we look forward to hearing about our students' plans for their future. Unfortunately, not everyone's plans will go according to plan. It's difficult to hear a student share his or her disappointment, anger and frustration over a rejection letter, loss of financial assistance or any other twist or turn than can send them down an unknown path.
I've counseled a few such souls here in the LMC and to all of them I gave the same advice, "This very well may be the best thing that happened; the unexpected brings on all manner of possibilities."
It turns out that I now have to practice what I preach. The first twist came last spring in the form of Coach Heavner, the new Head Coach for Husky Football. Within a month of his arrival, I lost my partner-in-crime, Ms. Orest, to an opportunity at another district campus. Over the summer Dr. Courson announced his departure and a new partner-in-crime was hired for the LMC, the lovely Ms. Pilarski.
These changes aren't necessarily the problem, it's more my reaction to them I'm finding myself feeling a bit like those students who had their heart set on one particular path to take them where they wanted to go. And you know what? It's harder to follow my advice then I thought.
No matter how you approach change; it comes, most often unexpectedly. Where do you draw the line between don't fix what isn't broken and being open and flexible?
Perhaps it's time for me to have a change of heart. Yes, a lot is changing around me, but most of the people and things I love and enjoy are still within an arm's reach. Like-
The sound of my football players doing their Husky Jacks during warm up.
The smell of the players who just did Husky Jacks.
The feeling I get buying a book for the LMC I know the students will love.
Buying books for myself I know I will love.
That first cup of morning coffee enjoyed on the patio couch with the dog next me.
Disney is making Star Wars VII!!!!! (More than an arm's length admittedly, but still!)
In a way, there's not much different about my life. Its core elements remain.
For those out there forging a new path at the start of this school year remember this- you're still going on an adventure. You'll still learn things and meet new people. You'll grow in ways you never imagined.
As for flexibility, grab some yoga pants and a mat. A downward dawg shouldn't be a problem for Husky.
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