Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse. - Henry Van Dyke
No matter the language, thank you is a beautiful word. Whenever the chaos of life threatens to "steal my joy," I stop to appreciate what I have and where I am in the current season of my life. When I remember to be thankful for what is going well, it immediately improves my attitude and aligns my perspective on even the most challenging of situations. While I know we should do this all of the time, I love the season of thanksgiving because it provides me with a specific opportunity to reflect, show appreciation and return the many acts of kindness I have received. Among my many gifts, I'm thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the messy, exciting, emotional, complex, fast-paced, never dull, chaos of school, and to partner with an amazing staff and families in clearing paths toward bright futures without limits for our amazing students.
As a life long learner, I am constantly looking for ways to grow and improve for the benefit of my staff and students. A little over a year ago, I joined Twitter and my world expanded in ways I could not have imagined. I didn't even know what a PLN was before@pcmteacher told me about it (Here is a great article by Tom Whittlby explaining it if you are still wondering). But here I am, one year later, forever changed by a network of educators I connect with on twitter (shout out to #ptchat, #satchat, and #ptcamp) and now Voxer, where I regularly connect with my fellow #ptcamp and Leading in the Middle friends and colleagues. As a result of my PLN's transparency, sharing, and support, my perspective has widened, my knowledge has deepened, and I have reached new levels of understanding about myself as a person, learner, teacher, and leader.
So on this last day of November but not the last day of giving thanks, I want to say thank you for helping me be a better me.
“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart
