Welcome to my Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Antoinette at https://antoinettetrugliomartin.com/category/weekend-coffee-share/ I am having a half-calf, which seems to fuel me just fine these days. However, I must admit, I am waking up, on a good night, somewhere between 4:30 and 5 a.m. It doesn’t bother me as much as it did at first. I don’t know if it’s the time change or the new exercises I have added daily as a result of PT, but I am getting used to it. I wonder if this will change once the clocks move forward in the Spring? I know I have a busy mind and wonder if it will ever slow down. It’s okay if it doesn’t. 🙂
As far as the physical therapy, it seems to be going well. My lower back is not as locked up as it used to be. I do still suffer from sciatic issues, but I’m learning some exercises for that and realizing I need to have more hot baths and less time in the computer chair. Maybe I’ll just record my writer’s thoughts and stories straight to audio? I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. I am not worried! While editing/revising the Malachi manuscript, I found a wonderful modification that works for me. I e-mailed the rough draft to myself and I’ve been opening it on my phone for a read-through. This read-through can be done laying on the couch, exercising on the Gazelle (small, elliptical type exerciser), or even in bed. I can be on my side or back, etc. according to my comfort needs. When I find an error, I write it down for when I will edit it on my laptop. Then, I am going to send it to the professional editor. There is no way I will stop writing, so I just need to change my process.
As far as the busy mind goes, I had an interesting talk with a student yesterday who rarely talks in class. Yes, it was the day before Winter Break, I was casual, friendly, and joking a lot, a relaxed atmosphere for sure. I presented them with our reading theme for next quarter: “Fear, is it a hindrance or a help?” The first time this student started talking to me was when I had a lesson on conflict and explained internal conflict and how the struggle is strong for someone who suffers from depression or anxiety. I told them of my anxiety when driving over a bridge. I recently have added hospitals to my list. (I have too many thoughts of experimentation when I see a whole floor taken up by only one office, and construction does not help either). Recently, I’ve also realized that the holidays are a little triggering.
Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised that she actually wanted to have a conversation with me. I also was pleasantly surprised by the Christmas holiday kindness shared by the students yesterday, and one student’s note in her card almost had me in tears of joy:
Dear Ms. Canepa, Thank you for your hard-working ethics and passion for teaching. I love how you have the inspiration to get up and drive to work every day, not knowing will the day go by good or bad. You made a great impact on my life so far and I’m looking forward for you to continue.
It was a hard week with lots of grading, a Code Red drill, a fire drill, a handful of parent meetings, some holiday events, and amped up kids. But seeing such empathy, appreciation, and the right choice of words warmed my heart. Someone noticed how hard I work and took the time to verbalize that to me. Maybe they are taking it to heart. That is the best gift ever!
May you all enjoy the spirit of Christmas and the holiday season, and may you reach calm when you seek it! I am definitely planning on some relaxation myself.
Peace!
Pamela
pamelascanepa 
This was such a feel good post Pamela. Your positivity and work is inspiring. Merry, Merry Christmas!
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Thank you so much, Merry Christmas, my friend!
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Thank you ❤
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Hi Pamela, your letter from your student is one of the best I’ve ever seen. I wonder if she has a parent helping her learn to be such a blessing?
I recall one class I was teaching for UC Berkeley and I had a room full of young-ish adults. It was a fun class, but we were all working hard to get through the material. I was newer to the topic in those days and was struggling to understand some of it myself, but I was just barely pulling it off each session. I was passionate about it and the students were responding really well with great questions and such.
I got great feedback from the class and my management was very pleased, but the student I still recall the most was one very sharp guy (did well grade-wise) who came up with a final word of thanks and handed me a piece of paper. I was trying to gather up my stuff so we could all get out of the room on time, so I thanked him and quickly looked at the page and it stopped me cold.
He was an sketch artist and in pencil, he had produced an image of me, photo perfect, eyes, beard, glasses and even the extra pounds I was carrying. At the bottom he added a quote from one of my lessons that anyone from the class would have recognized and signed it. He told me my class had been one of the best he’s ever had and left. I think I felt just like you did with your young student. Watching a student “get it” still motivates me, but their direct extra words of thanks are priceless!
Blessings and thanks for all you do for your students.
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Gary, you know then just how important a word of thanks can be, when someone is in a job that demands so much. Thank you for your kind comment. Have a Merry Christmas!
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