THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!

                                      Written By Leslie Wan 

                       

Another year has begun. We usher in 2015 and wave silently but gratefully back at 2014. While this is the blog of a journey of a lovely school for challenged children, we are ever aware that those who read our blog are equally important and have challenges too . Innumerable challenges face us every week and yet we push through them to wherever the road leads us. Most of us start a year and think "X" is my goal for the New Year or the resolution we commit to is _________. At the end of the year, we hesitate to think of whether we accomplished (or even remembered) what last year's resolution was, because if we do, we probably will be disappointed with our feeble attempt . But here is the take away lesson from that reflection. It doesn't really matter how much of that resolution you accomplished, if you learned something along the journey. Many times, your goal was a "set up" anyway because it was unrealistic considering your life and energies. But, from these reflections came time for YOU to simply sit and think about YOURSELF and what is workable and reasonable for YOU to expect. Sometimes where you ended up was really where you were meant to be, and yet it was a blessing to set your goal higher and better for you to learn acceptance of yourself and your abilities.

REACHING HIGHER

Every year (often times more than once) we set goals for our children at the school and many times those goals are higher than their present abilities. At the end of that period when we sit back and reflect, we realize that we need to celebrate the moments along the way that actually were part of the goals we set for them, even when the outcome was less than our expectations. Did a certain child become less aggressive?  Did the acquisition of a new laptop and time for a student to use it, make us realize that her or he, had far more dexterity and is far more focused than we thought? We found the KEY to make them focus (even if they aren't quite as dexterous as we resolved.) The point is we celebrate where the student is now, because it is somewhere better than they were last year.Children with challenges have goals that may be measured in mere steps, but when accomplished, leads to the beginning of a journey of exploration for their future. This often is the integral equation left out of your reflection. No doubt your year was an exploration of your spirit with stops along the way even if your path diverted abit. 

Hillary teaching outside on a beautiful day.  

Some years back, I set a goal which I called "The year of living kindly". I think I generally live my life in a kind fashion but this was a year to do an extra push for kindness moments. Simple things, telling the supermarket cashier what a lovely hair clip is in her hair, or making a point when I saw a friend to ask that person about a  person important to them. It meant really LISTENING  and acknowledging their feelings, without interjecting my views or solutions. It meant looking around at people and thinking how hard their life is in comparison to mine. The offshoot of this was that I got better service and people felt more comfortable and special around me. My REAL accomplishment was much more. I saw my perceptions and gratitude elevated. Was I a kinder person, not really sure, but I am certainly sure I was a more perceptive, compassionate and grateful person, and THAT was the lesson I was meant to learn anyway. 

With the start of another year you have choices you can make, each of you . You can choose to feel tired, or angry at the hand dealt you, or sick of your job, or a "victim" of something, OR, you can adapt that mindset to the control you actually DO have in the life and the happiness you make for yourself. Sometimes it is as simple as acting like the person you wish to be and watching what flows back from that. For example, you don't feel happy or feel like smiling, but you do it anyway. Even though it may seem contrived, the warmth or response that is returned, make it a happier moment in true fact. You can choose to only do what is expected of you or you can decide that by putting in that extra bit of energy in, you may actually learn something new or find the reward you never expected.

You will never reach the cool of the sea till you make the effort to move past the rocks ahead.

Above all you can accept that you are part of a team in the many areas of your life (family, work, church etc) and that your team is stronger than you think. You can place yourself in the team spirit and make gratitude another member of that team.
 

Here is a fact.............. You are special because there is only one of you. You can take that special self, no matter the challenges you face, and let it be visible to others. 

So as we begin 2015, I / we wish for our readers and supporters a wonderful, grateful and living kindly year (make the effort, you WILL be surprised). Make the concept of gratitude a true dimension of this year. Ask more of yourself than you think you can do, with the understanding that if you aren't successful, it isn't a failure, but a lesson in the journey to the goal. Make the effort to consider those less fortunate or challenged and put aside pity, for a better celebration of their struggle and how they are working to overcome. Recognize that all the many types of diversities (including the physically challenged ones) among the people of this earth, just make the hearty stew of our lives richer.  

SMILE WITH THE PROMISE OF EACH NEW DAY   

From our little school to you, our special friends, we bless you and thank you and invite you to visit and see what miracles can happen even in the most difficult of circumstances. Come view the smiles on faces of children who often have less to smile about but yet smile everyday. 

Bless up and God speed in 2015---Leslie Wan