Grateful 24 Apr: Little moments

I have finally completed the 2-day training, and I’m totally totally drained. Frankly, today started off quite badly. I didn’t sleep well last night and experienced sleep paralysis and disturbed sleep. I think I might have been too stressed about the training. But I’m really glad it ended well. I felt good. And amid this very draining day, I want to give thanks for the following: 

• Rainbow. I woke up at 4 a.m. Still, I made it a point to head out to Simei for breakfast. The breakfast and the walk gave me a sudden moment of clarity - I thought of an additional activity that I could use to deepen the learners’ understanding. But what made the morning special was the sudden appearance of a rainbow while I was walking home. It was a beautiful sight, and it lifted me somewhat from the strain of thinking about how to manage the many activities I had to orchestrate today. I’m really grateful for this moment. It’s quite lovely how such unplanned things can lift one up. 

• Creative time management. I started today worried about ending too early. Added to that, I knew it would be a very challenging day - there was content to teach, activities to run, individual oral assessments, written assessments, and a whole lot of admin to complete. And indeed, it was. I was totally drained by the end of the day. I didn’t even have time for lunch as I had to conduct the assessments through lunch. That said, I think things went more smoothly than I expected. In this regard, I want to acknowledge myself for managing to hold everything together and get through the day. I can see that it comes from the familiarity with the content and the mastery I’ve built up over time, and I’m grateful for that. 

• Supportive friends. Interestingly, throughout the day, I had friends texting me to check in and see if I was okay. Some knew I had training and sent words of support, while a couple of others simply reached out to say hello. Amid the busyness of the training and the juggling of many activities, these messages became little boosts of encouragement for me, and I’m really grateful for that. The day ended with a surprise text from B asking if I was free to meet for dinner at the airport. It was an impromptu arrangement, but it allowed me a good catch-up that lifted me quite a bit. I’m thankful for the presence of these friends and their thoughtfulness in reaching out. 

Today was a draining day. But the little moments - the rainbow, the messages, the dinner - lifted me quite a bit. And what made it even more special was that these moments were unplanned, yet came at just the right time.