The week before all this madness began, I snapped this photo at school. The message of HAPPINESS in colorful paper made me smile every time I passed it. It was a great reminder that I desperately needed during one of the most challenging trimesters of my teaching career; a reminder that my school and our world are places of happiness. And, I can’t help but tear up seeing this photo now, as I know how desperately our staff and students want to be back in those halls, back to the buzz of laughter (and swear words), back to classrooms busy with learning, back to normal…
One of our school organizations did a happiness drive in early March, where people were asked to write about what brought them happiness. The responses would then be placed in our hallways, just like the picture I snapped one of those last days I was in my school. The picture I took, thinking I would be back in those halls, like always, in a week after Spring Break. I haven’t been back except for one day of “get in, get what you need, get home, and plan”.
As I looked through my photos late, last night, when I, once again, could not sleep, I was reminded of my response to what makes me happy: being Sullivan’s mom. Being home with him all day, every day has been challenging. Co-parenting while both of us try to work full-time and try to attend meeting-after-meeting had been rough. But, Sullivan (and Matt) are still my HAPPINESS. And, I hope they always will be.
We could all use reminders of happiness during this time. A time that is hard, and fun, and frustrating, and makes us go a little crazy, and is heartbreaking all at the same time.
Share with me this week, WHAT BRINGS YOU HAPPINESS?
I’d really like to know.