31st May - Quotation week

This week was a quotation by me for Lucky Snapping Challenge May week 4

I chose this quote by Mahatma Gandi

“ The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” 

I never think about the quote beforehand so now I am confronted with a quote that I am finding quite difficult to blog!

I am going to be quite honest with myself and my readers......so here goes!!

I never wanted to be a teacher, it was my parents choice but the years I spent educating children I did on the whole enjoy. It was a varied career teaching Home Economics, the subjects I had trained to teach. Then going into primary education and ending up as a SENCO and then working in EBD (Emotional Behaviour Disorder) area with an LEA.  I definitely 'lost' myself in all those years in service to others and became so worn out I finished as a teacher at 55 and worked the next 5 years advising and training adults in EBD. 

The years as a SENCO and working with adults after early retirement were the most rewarding times and I definitely felt I played a vital role with parents and children with special needs. These people are some of the most vulnerable people in our society and I found a real passion to help and support them. The number of case conferences and meetings I went to for these children and also 'looked after children' took up a great deal of my time and energy. I started circle times for Emotional Literacy in all classes which were difficult to establish with teachers who had their own emotional problems! I had morning coffee drop in daily before and after school for angry, depressed and worried parents.....I was always there in my office for children who need to leave the class (or ran out of class too!). I frequently had to visit homes of children who were school refusers to encourage them back to a part time timetable!  This was a large primary school with a vulnerable and difficult catchment area, so yes I did lose myself in service to others sadly to the detriment of my health in my 50's!

I always thought that when I retired I would do 'good deeds', eg work weekly for a local charity especially our local hospice or volunteer for hospital work, ie lending library or coffee shop.  This has never happened and I know why, I never ever want to be tied to a weekly routine again, my clock watching hourly lesson/timetable routine in my job has made me never want this again! Daily I love getting up to wonder what will happen today and most days things just evolve!!

So do I give to others? yes I give my time to family and friends whether visiting or telephoning them daily/ weekly. I work within our church as a neighbourhood link to support those who are 'on the fringe' of church life. and I am a housegroup leader and look after all the church hall bookings. We support local and national charities by giving monies or goods or going to functions to raise money. 

Well that was really difficult to put in words but hope it all makes sense to readers and now 2 fund raising events I have photos of

Red Nose Day in 1988, my son and 2 friends off to school

 Red Nose Day for me and another teacher

I am now off to continue with my Lucky Snapping album, I have 3 view LO's to do and 3 Silver Lining pages too!!