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Elephant Journal
October 2009 
Random thoughts
Posted on Jan 4th, 2008
by 
Phaedrus
Phaedrus
No real reason for the post today, other than I just felt like writing.
Back to work on Monday; classes resume Tuesday. For the first time in a while, I'm going to be without a student teacher in my classroom. In some ways, that's good... it'll be good to be "back in charge," so to speak. I've unfortunately had to put some things on the back burner so my last student teacher could get some requirements for his program out of the way, but now I can "get things back on track," I guess.
It was good to travel back East and see my family. Had an interesting experience on the return. Our train out of Chicago was delayed by seven hours due to a freight train derailment in Aurora, Illinois. Aaron was the most put out, complaining that he didn't think he'd make it home in time to do his laundry so he could go "clubbing" with his friends the next day. We ended up leaving Chicago around 9:00 p.m. instead of our original 2:00 p.m. scheduled departure time. Shortly before our train began to move, the conductor came on the intercom to apologize for the delay and to inform us that a worker had died in the derailment. Aaron, who had been sitting in the observation car, came back to talk with me. He was humbled somewhat, and we discussed how his perspective changed once he'd learned there was a death involved... suddenly his laundry didn't seem that important anymore. It was a good lesson for him, and for me and for Kyle as well. I did my best to maintain a "make the best of it" outlook, realizing that there was no sense in being upset or angry over something which I had no control, and getting upset with the employees also made no sense.
I did get some reading done, and I've been able to get some done since we got back, though not as much as I wanted to get done. (Then again, is there ever really "enough" time to read?)
*sigh* Just had my line of thought broken by an argument between Aaron and Kyle. I guess I'll finish later.
Back to work on Monday; classes resume Tuesday. For the first time in a while, I'm going to be without a student teacher in my classroom. In some ways, that's good... it'll be good to be "back in charge," so to speak. I've unfortunately had to put some things on the back burner so my last student teacher could get some requirements for his program out of the way, but now I can "get things back on track," I guess.
It was good to travel back East and see my family. Had an interesting experience on the return. Our train out of Chicago was delayed by seven hours due to a freight train derailment in Aurora, Illinois. Aaron was the most put out, complaining that he didn't think he'd make it home in time to do his laundry so he could go "clubbing" with his friends the next day. We ended up leaving Chicago around 9:00 p.m. instead of our original 2:00 p.m. scheduled departure time. Shortly before our train began to move, the conductor came on the intercom to apologize for the delay and to inform us that a worker had died in the derailment. Aaron, who had been sitting in the observation car, came back to talk with me. He was humbled somewhat, and we discussed how his perspective changed once he'd learned there was a death involved... suddenly his laundry didn't seem that important anymore. It was a good lesson for him, and for me and for Kyle as well. I did my best to maintain a "make the best of it" outlook, realizing that there was no sense in being upset or angry over something which I had no control, and getting upset with the employees also made no sense.
I did get some reading done, and I've been able to get some done since we got back, though not as much as I wanted to get done. (Then again, is there ever really "enough" time to read?)
*sigh* Just had my line of thought broken by an argument between Aaron and Kyle. I guess I'll finish later.
Access: Public
What a powerful story. I use those reminders myself when I start getting upset about traffic or incoveniences–who's to say that the person driving slowly is doing so due to an illness, or that an 'obnoxious' traveller is just being thoughtless because she's preoccupied with her dying father?–but fortunately it's been a while since this has been brought home vividly for me. Thank you for sharing this.
…and your closing words on the post remind us that life goes on…
Random thoughts are often the best…thank you!