Yesterday was my last official day of teaching preschool. Today I am playing for other Preschool programs, but yesterday I said good bye to my 17 kids I taught this year. I was closing the door on my career of teaching Preschool. I was going into this new venture of teaching piano full time.
As I sat at lunch with the amazing group of ladies that I have worked with over the years, the knot in the pit of my stomach started to grow. I came home and sitting in front of the computer thinking about that afternoon lunch, it almost took my breath away. I could feel the bits of panic and anxiety beginning to rise. And it was then, that the tears came. It was suddenly dawning on me that that part of my life was over. "What if I have made the wrong decision yet again?" "What if I end up being a piano teacher which I love, but never experience the laughter and joy I have had this year?" What if. . . . what if. . . .
A change is coming and as I sat and thought about it, I realized that things would never be the same. And it made me sad. I cannot begin to tell you how much laughter this group of women has brought to my life. In a time where I just needed to laugh, just about every morning that I came to work, they brought me joy and laughter. The lunches or "staff meetings" that we had were actually spent more in laughter than actual meeting! Besides being amazing preschool teachers, these ladies have brought me joy. They have given me my laughter back.
As I sat at the computer trying to see through the tears, and breathe through those feelings of panic - life will never be the same - I recalled a Dr. Seuss saying that someone had shared with me. Don't cry because it's over, Smile because it happened. When I had heard it the first time, all I felt was "I just want to be mad and I don't want to be happy." Yesterday as I thought about it, I realized how true the saying is. I know I've written on this before, but it IS all a matter of perspective. I am so thankful that I can look back at my time teaching at the preschool as a time of joy. A time of laughter. I am thankful for the impact these ladies have had on me. I am thankful for the joy and strength that they have given me. It makes me sad that it is over, but I really realize how blessed I am to have them in my life. To have had the opportunity to be a teacher to these amazing kids. I have been blessed. It has been a season in my life, and now a new season comes upon me. I CAN look back and be sad that I will not be going back in fall, or I can look back and be thankful for those memories. AND I can look forward to the gift God has give to me of 34 piano students!
God has truly blessed me for what I've had, but also for what I'm heading into. I can let that anxiety of fall's unknown take hold, or I can spend three months being thankful for the 4 years I had with most of these ladies. Truly I have been blessed. Thank you so much, Darlene, Dawn, Donna, Carla, Stephanie, Jessica, Rose, Marcia and Selma. You have blessed me more than you know. You took a broken, hurting girl and gave me my joy back!!!
For that I am eternally grateful!!!! Even though my time there is done, God has given me a gift in you women that I will always have. And I praise Him for it!!!!
YOU LADIES ROCK!!!!
