What Teacher Left An Impact On You?
There were a couple teachers in high school that left an indelible impression on me then, which has stayed with me through to today.
Going to a Catholic School equals having had a nun as a teacher, and although she was petite in size, she was a force to be reckoned with if you weren’t paying attention in Algebra.
On the complete other side of the school was the new gym teacher; a former National Athlete, who was full of energy, and also a force to be reckoned with. She impacted my experience through high school not just as a teacher, but coach and mentor. I’m still in touch with her over forty years later.
I consider myself fortunate that I can look back and fondly remember them and others at that time who left a positive imprint on me, I know that is not always the case.
But if I were to look back at my life and answer the question more broadly, I would answer that Grief and Loss was and is my most impactful teacher I’ve ever had.
Over the last couple weeks as I have been navigating some big emotions, of which grief is a large part. My last post about Anticipatory Grief, was timely for many, and the very thing we had been anticipating was confirmed.
I’m through my emotional spin cycle upon hearing the news:
anger,
frustration,
deep cleaning my junk drawer,
short tempered,
looking at flights to somewhere (anywhere) to get away and get my head around this,
decluttering my closet and home,
introspection,
reflection on the 30 years we have been in each others’ lives,
research on the prognosis,
feng shui in their space to make things easier for them,
supporting what they need for help
learning how they need the support,
listening
and the list continues.
I’ve been feeling A LOT of contrasting and conflicting emotions.
In my opinion all that we feel from significant changes to a relationship will be distilled into grief, yet feeling each of the ingredients is important along the way.
GRIEF has been my most impactful teacher.
Trust me when I say that in each experience of loss I’ve had in my life, I have learned some truths about myself that only grief could have taught me.
Would I have preferred to have garnered those lessons a different way?
HELL YES
Has that been mine or anyone’s experience? Likely not.
That’s why I do all the things I do, because its been important for me personally to learn more about grief for myself, and to help others navigate the tangle of emotions grief brings along with it.
Grief is a part of life, but it doesn’t have to be your life.
(even though sometimes it feels like it has been).
Thanks for reading,
Sherry