A Good Slap

She has my full respect.  Since the first day we worked together I felt as if I had struck gold by landing her as my colleague.  Today, she set me straight.

You see, I'm technically on break. But, as many teachers can testify, I had to go into the office.  Really, I had to.  I spent each day last week leading workshops at the district office or at sites with teachers.  Meanwhile, my desk has been piling high with tasks.  My inbox has expanded exponentially.  The first three days after we return from break I have three more full days of workshops.  Rather than carry the cloud of concern with me all week, I resolved to head into the office and prepare for my workshops.

This morning my attitude was miles away from good.  Perhaps it was somewhere in the "I can't believe this" universe.  As I sat in my cubicle, I repeatedly tried to focus.  My eyes landed everywhere other than the screen.  Every fiber in my being wanted to cruise the internet instead of focusing on the task at hand.

Then, she appeared.  Huge smile on her face, she greeted me with a warm "Good Morning" and asked how I was doing.  I confessed the truth.  I was confident in exposing my true feelings.

"You know," she responded "I was listening to the radio this morning.  It's unbelievable what's happening in Syria.  The woman they interviewed shared her story.  I have to make sure that my kids hear what's happening in the world around us.  We exist in such a bubble sometimes..."  Our conversation for the next ten minutes allowed us to travel outside the four walls and into others' lives filled with struggle.

Struggle.  I got it.  The struggle I was engaged in was nothing compared to the struggle of many others.  It didn't have to set the course for my day.  I'm not sure that I was smiling for the rest of my day at work, but I was able to enjoy the accomplishment at the end of the day with a renewed appreciation for a colleague who so gracefully set me straight.