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General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Saturday Afternoon Ramblings – Thankful #6

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I’m thankful for Saturdays.  They are the best day of the week.  After a 50+ hour week, Saturdays are my chance to do all the things I want to do, like working on the farm or doing yard work or cleaning up.  I usually spend 10-12 hours on Sundays grading (that’s in addition to the 50 hour week, by the way), so Saturdays are the only day that’s mine.  Even if I spend the entire day working on something, it’s a break from the overwhelming grind of the week, so I am thankful for this day to get away from education.

Today, for example, I have spent the entire day going back and forth from working on the prototype to doing laundry to burning brush.  The basic frame for the unit is complete, and while it was a lot of work and a lot of trial and error, I couldn’t be happier with it.  The design is sturdy and functional and should be fairly easy to replicate now that I know the basic layout.  In terms of cost, I think it will save us hundreds of dollars over a pre-made system.  There are still many Saturdays worth of work to go before the entire prototype is complete and operational, but I am grateful for this day of the week to pursue my dream of launching this farm.

General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Friday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #5

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I’m grateful for my job.  On the same day I was hired for this position, my best friend was laid-off from his.  In this economy, it took him nearly a year to find work.  Even though I grumble and complain about the state of education and the downward spiraling of student apathy, I am grateful for the position.  My child support is paid in full every month, my children have health insurance, and I have enough left over to survive on for the month.  Things could be much, much, much worse for me.  So I’m thankful for my position at the college.

I’m also grateful for the opportunity to pass along knowledge.  There are still a handful of students who care about learning, and I still enjoy engaging those students and watching them get it.  I enjoy seeing the single mothers gain self-confidence and the young men who hid in their shells during high school slowly crawl out and find their voices.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve these students and hopefully bring out of them something they didn’t know they had.  That aspect of the job is still gratifying and fulfilling.  I am thankful that through education my life has been about more than self-gratification and that my value as a human being is higher than my net worth on a spreadsheet.  I’m thankful that I have given something back to my society.

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General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Thursday Afternoon Ramblings – Thankful #4

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I’m thankful to have found stable ground for the first time in fifteen years.  Today, I’m free to be myself, without having to worry about someone’s jealousy, insecurity, or fear of abandonment.  For the most part, I have peace and stability with very little drama, very little neediness, and virtually no mistrust.  Emotionally, I feel happier and healthier than I can ever remember.  It’s a good place, and I’m grateful to have found this solid ground.

I’m also grateful to feel appreciated.  For too many years of my life, I was made to feel as if nothing was good enough or even just enough, period.  I constantly felt as if I were having to earn love on a day to day basis, and let me tell you, that’s no way to live.  I’m thankful not to be in that place anymore, and there aren’t words for how grateful I am to have the little things acknowledged, appreciated, and reciprocated.  After years and years of feeling unappreciated, I cherish being adored and respected.  I will not take that for granted because I know all too well how the other end of the spectrum feels.  I will make an effort every single day to express my thankfulness for being noticed and appreciated.