I’m striding in the presence of God, alive in the land of the living!
I stayed faithful, though bedeviled, and despite a ton of bad luck…
Psalm 116:9-10 MSG
It happens every summer. July 5th comes and I’m extra tired from late-night fireworks and too much sun and BBQ. Along with the fatigue from so much fun, comes a signal. It is now the halfway point of summer break. School supplies appear in the aisles of grocery stores, work emails start trickling in again and the to-do list for school starts yelling for attention.
This is the time I usually start a mental countdown to the kickoff of the new school year. Even though I’m not done with the pool and lazy mornings, a slow excitement and anticipation start to build.
But this year is different.
Do you feel it like I do? July is here and with it is unrest, broken open in my chest like an unhealed wound. This unease triggers the low-grade trauma forced on us by an invisible virus way back in March. When I think about school starting my thoughts spin anxiously. Or when I talk about it my words don’t sound like they normally do. They don’t sound very resilient or hopeful.
Something needed to change in the story I was telling myself about the work that lay ahead. So I’ve spent some more time grieving. I’ve cried cleansing tears that have risen unexpectedly and sat down with all the uncomfortable feelings again. I don’t like being anxious and scared about one of the most life-giving slices of my life. But pretending I don’t feel that way isn’t healthy.
It’s been a week dedicated to the work of wrestling. Of internally confronting the discomfort of our present reality. With that confrontation has come a slow acceptance. The losses are still there. And we are going to have to deal. Of all the things I can’t control about the way I’ll be asked to do my job next month, I can control my attitude, thoughts, and words about it.
One of my administrators stated in an email this week that we are facing the greatest challenge in the history of US education. Seeing it named this way in black and white helped shift something inside me.
It’s time to put on my big girl panties. I need to be ready to serve the students that God brings into my life this year with a renewed level of resilience and hope.
Now is the time to rediscover the art of speaking life into difficult situations, which will require me to recommit to leading by example.
What if this school year became an ‘opportunity to reimagine’ instead of a ‘challenge to overcome’?
Then I can accept with confidence the invitation being offered. I believe the wounds of the first half of 2020 will heal me stronger for the second half.
Brene Brown’s research says that resilient people develop a “tolerance for discomfort”.
As SLPs, we know how the right language can change everything. I think a capacity to tolerate discomfort will be the absolute key to thriving in the school year ahead. Stumbling upon this truth put into words helps me breathe a little easier.
While mulling all this over, I pulled my 19-year-old daughter into the discussion. She talked a lot and I listened and learned. She said, “Resilience isn’t something you prepare for, it’s something you live out.” Smart girl.
If any of this resonated, I encourage you to set aside some time to wrestle down acceptance and determine your path to walk with resilience and hope into August. The 2020-21 school year is going to be weird and difficult and different. It will be, what it will be. I’m grateful that July offers a few more weeks to get ready. Our students are going to need us to show them the way.
*Here are a few resources that are helping me walk in resilience:
Building Your Resilience
A few more thoughts from Brene
Resilience Guide for Parents and Teachers
Building Resilience in Children
and get A Blessing for the Speech Pathologist,
a free printable to
help you remember your WHY
I have decided to take each day and do what I can. Trust God to help me give what is needed to each as they need it. My grandchildren are a wild mess but oh the smiles they put on my face with the things they say and do. Blessings from God. The student I have worked with all summer, has made me feel it was so worth it that I decided to meet with him 3 days a week, a blessing from God! My adopted children are now settling in after 4 years of struggles and challenges, with God’s blessings and guidance. The new puppy who is so trusting and wiggles with excitement when given attention, a blessing from our heavenly Father.
Losing my mom from this Earth to be in God’s care with my Dad. The comfort in knowing they are both in good hands together. Having no sadness because they are happy at last.
I’m thankful for the time we had to experience what online learning would be like for our students. Believe it or not I made real connections with my students and parents. After I zoomed with the class, I had individual meetings scheduled with each and every student. I received sweet letters of appreciation, cards, and pictures. This would never had happened if we had seen them everyday at school and it validated that I do have a positive role in my students lives, an eye opening and amazing gift from God. I could go on and on with the blessings He has shared with me,but that would take a lifetime. So all that being said, I will not think of the negative or worry about things cannot control because my Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ is there by my side. Moving forward He will guide me daily to do what is needed.
Isn’t it amazing? All the new ways we are being shaped by this extraordinary time. Julie, you are doing such an amazing job stewarding the influence God has given you. Yes, yes. One day at a time, doing the best we can. I so look forward to seeing you soon!
Yes, Kelli. Our students are depending on us to show them the way. And they have been greatly influenced by their parents these past several months. Nobody is on the same page with this thing, or anything else for that matter. I expect a lot of emotions, a lot of fear, and a lot of students who just won’t know what to do. I expect unhappy parents when the final guidelines come out, and this is where we will have to remember to also expect God to move in big ways. I expect Him to lead me. I expect him to give me the words I need to say in the many situations I will be faced with. And I expect Him to give me the strength and peace to prevail. God was never canceled. Some people just got so caught up in how this personally affected them, that they forgot to see the beauty in the ashes. Even though I cannot wrap my arms around my students and hug them long like I so desire, I can love them with my words, my support and my honesty. Sometimes, it is more important to show them we love them, and that they are safe, than to make sure they make the grade. That is my line of work to a tee. SEL will be a huge part of school for so many more students now, and far into the future. Making sure they can her out of their head, and feel like they can be okay, even through this virus, and have some kind of normalcy is key. I have faith we will all do our best…we always do.
You are so right Susie! Great expectations for God to move in new and inventive ways through us as we love through the chaos. SEL is going to be front and center this year for sure. You were made for this!
Beautifully stated!!!
Thank you, Kelli for your heart and for your courage born of faith in the One from whom our help comes from!!
Thank you for reading Suzy. Indeed, I love the perspective that God is making himself GREAT in our utter out of control-ness!
Really beautifully put. It occurred to me how very blessed I’ve been, that this level of stress hasn’t been a constant in my life. Acknowledging those blessings doesn’t eliminate the stress and worry, but it definitely helps keep it in check.