Blog Archives
Friendship Support
Sometimes we try to do hard things ourselves, but we have a good number of friends to support us, be there for us, and often times tell us what we need to hear. Everyone we meet is valuable, making a friend from that meeting is even more valuable.
Meme Monday (Something Wonderful)
When you meet someone just assume right off the bat that they are going to be amazing. Give the person their own chance to show you if they are wonderful or not. First judgement is not always the right judgement, but you should not judge! Nobody is perfect and you should accept them for who they are.
This reading month is going well. I have really gotten myself in the habit of wanting to read everyday. It helps when you are reading something you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy what you are reading put it down and find something else. No one is telling you that you have to finish. The book I am reading now is awesome. It is called “Everything Happens For A Reason,” by Mira Kirshenbaum. I will tell you a little more about the book on Wednesday!
Never Give Up
It’s hard to wait. It’s hard to try over and over again without any good result. It’s hard to fail and not feel a little worse each time. How much can you take before it’s time to give up?
Most of my close friends and family can a test to how close to edge of life I have got. They have seen me fall hard, again and again. They have seen me ready to give up, ready to say I am done. They have seen me scream, cry, and beg the universe for an answer. All of us will literally stumble upon hard times. In fact if you have never faced a challenge that has pushed you to your limits, you have so much more of your life to experience yet.
As the sweat from my forehead beads into the tears of my face, the monster has arrived. I have fought the good fight that my journey may be over. My next destination is thru the thick fog and I have no idea what is inside there, or what lies on the other side. I’m going in and you better believe I am coming out the other side as a better person! This I do know. Every challenge I face makes me stronger more willing to face the next.
You know what the people I care about have never seen? They have never seen me stay down when I fall. They have never seen me stop when there is just so much more road to follow. They have never seen me make a goal and not go after it with everything I have got. Those I keep close to my heart have never seen me give up.
Don’t give up on your dreams and you goals it is not worth it. No matter how long that journey is, keep going. No matter how many times you have to try and try again, keep at it. When you fall get up and never stop. When you have to wait and there is nothing else you can do, you wait. Your goal is close by, your destination is right around the corner, that treasure you have been looking for all your life you are about to run right into, but the only way to see any of it is to never give up. NEVER GIVE UP.
Anyone that says life is easy is a fool. Anyone who wants to experience their full potential is going to stumble through the gates of victory out of breath with scraped knees. Carrying the satisfaction of making it is what strengthens everyone for the next seemingly impossible journey. Everything is possible in life but it takes a person willing to never give to get there.
Everyone is Mr. Marc!
The main teacher is not in today so it is the aids and a substitute with our 7 students with autism. We get a phone call in the morning from one of our student’s mothers:
Me: Good Morning Mrs. (name removed)’s class this is Mr. Marc.
Mom: Hi this is (name removed) mom. I just wanted to let you know that we had some trouble this morning. He had a bit of a break down this morning because we didn’t have a frozen water bottle for him. Do you have a refrigerator/freezer in the room?
Me: Yes we have a small one. I will put it in there for him as soon as he gets here.
Mom: Thank you so much; what was your name again?
Me: Marc!
Mom: Oh ok so you’re his new teacher (aid)! His father he calls dad but every other adult male he meets, he calls Marc! Everywhere we go, everyone is Marc!
Me: I am pretty sure you just made my whole day!
The Conversation went on about what we have been helping him with, his work and eating habits.
There is a little boy running around Florida calling everyone Marc. I work with students with Autism from kindergarten to 2nd, some of them have other conditions, some of them can talk and some cannot. To hear that I have made such a big impression in such short time puts nothing but smiles on my face for the days to come. There are certainly good days and bad days, easy days and hard days, and progress can be slow. If you step back and see where the students had started to where they are now, that’s when you can fill your heart to know that you are making a positive change in their lives. His back story I cannot share with you but he has evolved quite a bit in our classroom.
I know everyone in Florida is now Mr. Marc, but there are plenty of other people that make this educational program successful. Being new I am very grateful to have made such a positive impact not only in my class room but around the whole school. I am fortunate enough to be able to take my students out of the class room and mix them with other student and I also work with the after-school program. All day with all the students in the school, I am tying shoes, helping them with art projects, helping them with homework, guiding them through games and exercises at physical education, fixing friendships, teaching them new words, growing their independence, playing tea parties, playing games with them that they just make up, and much more. Fortunately for you, all you will see is the rewarding parts of my job. My job is not easy there are many challenges, but If I can go home knowing I made just a little bit of a difference each day, it is enough to come back and do it again each day. It is enough to start each new day with a smile.
That is just what we need, start each day with a smile and make sure you love what you are doing. Working with elementary school kids has put an amazing spin on my life. There is much gratitude for all of you who have helped me on my journey but right now Mr. and Mrs. Maiden can take credit for helping me find this job.
I did not originally come down to Florida to work in a school at all. But one event lead to another and here I stand as an Elementary ESE Paraprofessional for students with Autism and the job has grown into so much more. Thank you very much Mr. and Mrs. Maiden for helping me fill Florida with so many Mr. Marc’s. 😉
Variety Friday (Fortune)
What if the fate of the world relied on your fortune cookie?
Yes, yes, I know fortune cookies are just fun for most, but how many times have you gotten one that was right? I just got one on Wednesday that really nails it for me right now.
“Your spirit of adventure leads you down an exciting new path.”
This fortune could not be more right. My life is full of adventure, including adventures within! You better believe it is an exciting path. Everything in our life has value, every person we meet has value you. The first step in discovering the value of things or people you encounter in your life is to BELIEVE! If you don’t have belief that it will work or benefit you there is no chance it ever will. If you just believe, you are that much closer to an opportunity for something very exciting in your life. I can guarantee that people’s lives have been forever changed simply at the crack of a fortune cookie. Those messages are all pre-written but perhaps we are all meant to find that fortune that changes our life?
I’M NOT DONE YET!
Sometimes you have to give up everything to find the one thing you want the most. Only the strong can make that risk. Only the strong can let go of every comfort they know. Only the strong can venture away from a career they have mastered for something new. Only the strong can walk away from people that love you and the people you love. Only the strong can fail 100’s of times and still reach for what is right in their heart. We can do anything. You can do anything, you are strong. You just have to take that risk and get started. There are better things out there for your life, you have to be strong enough to go after them.
Slowly but surely I will find where I belong and search the planet to find those that share my same views as we unite. I will climb my mountain of failures and raise a flag that says “I’M NOT DONE YET” If I can breathe there is still hope for something better. If I have a heart beat I can still love, and my soul will guide me. All I have to do is listen, hope for the best in life and be grateful for anything hope brings me because this is my life! I decide my life.
The easiest most attractive path is not always the right one and before long you are too comfortable for change. Get uncomfortable and change your path. Change your life, take risks, and be strong. You are not done yet!
Meme Monday (Believe)
Step 1. Believe
Step 2. Succeed
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Dinner with a 1st grader
Usually I use Wednesdays to talk about ways of positivism but I am going to change it up for a worthwhile story about going to the Chinese buffet.
2 Fridays ago I went by myself to the Chinese buffet. A well known fact about me is that I LOVE buffets and I cannot resist going to them. The daughter of the owner was talking and giggling to her mother while I was paying my check.
The mom then asks me “do you work at (censored) Elementary School?”
I said “yes I do.”
“My daughter says she sees you at P.E.” (Physical Education)
“Yes that would make sense; she must be in first grade.”
“Yes”
I turned to the daughter and told her to make sure she said hi to me the next time she saw me in P.E.
I did not see her the whole week but I did end up going to the same buffet this past Friday. I saw her there but I did not say anything. I sat down went about my business stuffing my face with Americanized Chinese food. That little girl came up to me and asked if I remember her. Of course I did. She was also sad that she did not see me at all last week. I asked for her name and made sure she knew mine.
The little girl said, “I am going to run up to you in P.E. and see if you remember my name!”
This adorable conversation went on for about a half hour or so while I was eating. At first she was standing by me then eventually she sat down in the booth across from me.
In her innocence I doubt she knew that she made my night. So sweet of her to sit and chat with me, so thankful for her mom to trust me, and so grateful for not only a full stomach but a full heart as well that Friday night.
Children are the future of our existence. If we can mold their innocence into a more positive life and way of thinking, we can certainly look for a better tomorrow. We need to be positive ourselves in order to share that positive image for our children. We need to live a positive lifestyle in order for our children to lead a positive life. They don’t learn positivism from books, movies, or lesson plans; they learn from the connection from your heart and soul to theirs. Positivism is as innocent as a child, why not nurture our inner child in order for our children to have the opportunity to live a more positive life!
I literally could start a whole new blog just on my interactions with the students at my school. My experience with working on the cruise ship was amazing but my journey working with elementary school students is a far more amazing experience at heart. Love ourselves, love to children, and love the future!
Meme Monday (Let Go)
To get past your problems within all you have to do is learn to let go, learn to move on. Make more time for the things that matter most.
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Famous Quote Friday (Les Brown)
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.
-Les Brown
I discovered Les Brown only a few weeks ago. He encompasses who I want to be. He talks about goals, change, greatness and positivism. Goals are my life and big changes have become part of my life as well. Les Brown is a motivational speaker inspiring people to follow their dreams. His famous phrase is “it’s possible.” He is correct, for all of us it is possible. Go for everything you want in life, shoot for the moon. You are going to discover so much inspiration on your journey and even if you don’t get there you still know you are great and you earned every part of your life. You will still land among the stars.
You don’t hear about when the tears drop from my face. You don’t hear about the negativity I fight with to stay positive. You don’t hear about many of the challenges I face through change. Every bit of it exists in my life. I am human I make mistake, I fail, I fall, but in the end of the challenges I stand in victory, be it big or small, because I am shooting for the moon. With my never give up attitude and my will to always do my best, I always learn ways to be more positive about my life and the lives of others around me. Love your life, love your journey and love the destinations you reach for.
If you have 4:30 minutes you really should watch this sample of Les Brown. Have a great weekend, I love all of you.
UP With Marc 