I had a co-worker many years ago when I was teaching at a life skills program. His name was Ralph and he was a bit of a character.. Needless to say we got along well. I was having a bit of a day. The fire alarm went off during our morning meditation, and we had to file all the students out of the building. Not a great start to our Monday morning routine,which was already hard enough with the group of students we had. Having overcome that, we were in his classroom chatting at lunchtime when we heard an explosion type sound coming. From the student's lunch room. Worried for the student's safety we ran to see what had happened. We were afraid of what we might find. We ran into the lunch room to find them laughing and rolling on the floor. There were bits of white and yellow all over them and the walls and the furniture. Nobody could stop laughing long enough to tell us what it was or what happened. Obviously relieved we sat to let our beating hearts catch up with this curious scene we walked into.
Apparently, our North American students we always a little disgusted with the daily habit of our student from Tunisia of eating a raw egg at lunch. Wanting to "fit in" he put it in the microwave to "cook it." Oh boy, it cooked alright. He didn't really know how to use the microwave and put it in for an extended period of time and eventually the door blew open and cooked bits of egg came flying out everywhere. All we could do was laugh. All of us sat there and laughed for a long time. It was a great teachable moment later on in the week about accepting others and their practices without judgement but in the moment in time, we enjoyed the hilarity of the situation.
We spent quite a while cleaning the room together and there was no way I could continue with the serious, emotional topic we had planned to cover that afternoon.
When the room was put back together, and Ralph and I were walking out to the main office, I commented on what a day it had been. First the fire alarm and the the lunch room fiasco and I had such a deep topic chosen to cover that day, I explained. Ralph laughed and slung his ran around my shoulder and stopped to look at me. "Maureen he said. Some days your dogs just won't pull."
I have never forgotten that saying, it stuck with me. Those days when you know your plan will not work out, you will not accomplish your goals, yet we try to fight it. I now picture the sled dogs at a complete stop and the occupants sitting waiting for them to pull. Now I like to get myself of the sled and wait for another day to take that ride.
My dear friend Ralph had since passed on, but that little bit of wisdom has always stayed with me. Thanks Ralph.
Yesterday was the first time in 62 days I have not written my blog. I had a lot going on and with my limitations......let's just say my dogs didn't pull!
Apparently, our North American students we always a little disgusted with the daily habit of our student from Tunisia of eating a raw egg at lunch. Wanting to "fit in" he put it in the microwave to "cook it." Oh boy, it cooked alright. He didn't really know how to use the microwave and put it in for an extended period of time and eventually the door blew open and cooked bits of egg came flying out everywhere. All we could do was laugh. All of us sat there and laughed for a long time. It was a great teachable moment later on in the week about accepting others and their practices without judgement but in the moment in time, we enjoyed the hilarity of the situation.
We spent quite a while cleaning the room together and there was no way I could continue with the serious, emotional topic we had planned to cover that afternoon.
When the room was put back together, and Ralph and I were walking out to the main office, I commented on what a day it had been. First the fire alarm and the the lunch room fiasco and I had such a deep topic chosen to cover that day, I explained. Ralph laughed and slung his ran around my shoulder and stopped to look at me. "Maureen he said. Some days your dogs just won't pull."
I have never forgotten that saying, it stuck with me. Those days when you know your plan will not work out, you will not accomplish your goals, yet we try to fight it. I now picture the sled dogs at a complete stop and the occupants sitting waiting for them to pull. Now I like to get myself of the sled and wait for another day to take that ride.
My dear friend Ralph had since passed on, but that little bit of wisdom has always stayed with me. Thanks Ralph.
Yesterday was the first time in 62 days I have not written my blog. I had a lot going on and with my limitations......let's just say my dogs didn't pull!
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