While I am a teacher, I am aware that not all lessons can be learned in school.

We have standards to cover, bullying to watch for, feelings to consider, learning styles to prepare for, IEP forms, BLT meetings, TBT meetings, staff meetings, committee meetings, and then, of course, we have to teach those darling students who arrive every day whether or not we’ve slept, prepared, and considered them at all.

But many of my life’s most important lessons were learned in school and reinforced in the real world:

• Bullies are everywhere; even adults can be bullies and uncooperative
• Group work is difficult in any arena; we’re all so selfish and worried about our ambitions that we find it difficult to consider others’.
• People suck; remember that girl in first grade who took your markers claiming she could refill them and would bring them back to you? Yeah, people can be just as mean anywhere else.

These are all hard lessons.

I’ve also learned some nice lessons.

But, since I am a late-bloomer, school could never have taught me how to love myself.  I still struggle with this, but loving myself and not hating myself for my flaws is a lesson that school didn’t teach me.  Even Mr. Rogers didn’t get through to me.

I’ve had to learn this lesson more as I’ve become an adult.  When friends have abandoned me, as is the trend in my life, I am often left with just me and Jesus (and, now, an awesome husband!).  But I have to look at things objectively, take some time to heal from the pain, and realize that Jesus loves me and I should love me as well.

One of life’s true challenges is to love one’s self.

Love,