I'm constantly being turned around to confront my own shadow as preparation for a quantum leap forward. The same goes for the collective. Perhaps we need this catharsis of darkness in order to evolve. The process of birth can be uncertain, and I'm praying we don't fall into the abyss.
@coyote, thank you for framing this difficult week with clarity. I too feel the heaviness. The USPS debacle is the main trauma, along with the teachers (@lovendures you said it so well) being forced to risk their lives. I was feeling that heaviness, and then Thursday the website suffered a very weird glitch in which the site reverted to its 2017 content. All of the content was replaced with the site that we had in 2017. It was spooky. I was looking at a pocket in time when the awful new normal started.
I spent all of Thursday bringing the site back. It was reassuring to go through all that fear and then to be okay. I got spooked about my own shadow, so much of my own dark unhealed stuff surging up from the deep. Thank you, women friends, and community, for helping me. We need each other to walk this journey together.
We are all being tested.
@jeanne-mayell thank you dear one for all the hard work that goes into this site. You must know that through your work you provide a safe harbor for those like me. I visit daily and read what our community writes. I don’t always respond but let it wash over me like a soothing balm. In a world where violence, hatred and separation is front and center this forum provides peace, calm, support and care. I appreciate you and all the good souls who help lift each other up when we are weary and worn out. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. If there’s ever anything I can do to be useful to anyone I am in. I received so much here and never take it for granted. Peace everyone. We still have far to go but we have each other. ❤️☮️
@lovendures I am a teacher, and tomorrow is my first day back with kids. I have the BEST principal ever, and a work in a place where we are loved and supported, and there is frigging 90 proof hand sanitizer EVERYWHERE and we have school mascot masks and the works, and I am still SCARED TO DEATH. I can't imagine what teachers are feeling like in places where they aren't supported and their hard work and fears and concerns aren't acknowledged. Regardless of what we do- this virus is like glitter. It will be there, and it will stick to things and us, and we will take it home. Some teachers will take it home to people who will get very ill and maybe even die. Or- they may die. Or kids will spread it to other kids and who knows what impact it will really have, and they may take it home to grandparents, or someone who is compromised. It is just an absolute nightmare to think about what could happen because of the exposure risk. Idk. I think I am just going to have to meditate in the morning and believe that a higher power and angels are going to help me through the day. I am going to leave home with the goal of mindfulness and faith that I will just do my best for my children to build relationships with them, and pray that we are okay. It is all that I can do. Thanks to everyone who is concerned for us and for all the essential workers out there. Right back at you. ❤️
Hi Honeybee!
How was your week spent teaching? I hope things went well for all. Thank you for teaching our children and for your passion for your vital profession..
How sweet of you to think of me. First of all, my students are precious, and it was a treat to be able to be around them this week. Of course everything was weird with the masks and all, but my school is pretty awesome, and if anyone can manage this mess- we can. Back to my previous glitter statement- end of the week- we find out that a faculty member DID test positive. I'm pretty sure they were with me before they left (in and out my room). Because of HIPPA and the 6 feet, 15 minutes, masks- all that breaks the contact chain- I imagine I will never know for sure- but my Scooby Doo detective skills have narrowed it down. So, I have not been contacted, and I doubt I will be- nor will the kiddos in my room. And- here we are. Frigging Glitter. Soooooo- back to work tomorrow. The kids are virtual now (so I get to see them on screen WITHOUT masks- which is nice). I am not running a fever. I am staying away from people (just in case)- but WOW. Kids going back to school right now is just NOT feasible in most places. My nerves are SHOT, but next week will be better. I love all of you guys on here. I have been crazy busy, but I come on here each night to read y'alls' posts and it makes me feel better. Love to you all.
And we love you too. I cannot imagine such a contact experience worry but am certainly "hoping, praying, wishing and dreaming" that it was indeed not enough or long enough to make for true contact opportunities.
I have 2 family members who have both had quite a few of these in the same room not contact contacts as essential workers. Both have been fine, were not notified either, and much time has passed without symptoms.
Keep thinking that the data exists for a reason and the odds are that you are free and in the clear and so shall we.
But boy what a time we live in!
Love, best thoughts, and protective energy to you in all ways!
@michele-b Thank you for the kind words. It is def a different kind of school year. Now I worry about my kiddos at home without good support systems and food and - I could go on and on. I am also lucky that my school has wonderful counselors that check in ALL THE TIME with the kids and an awesome school social worker. Again- my school is about the best it can be in this crazy situation, and we are still falling short because the situation is so dire. I can't even imagine what is going on (or NOT) in other places. It makes my heart hurt to think about it, and if I am being honest, sometimes I just try and block it out because it is too much for me to manage. Thanks to you all for caring and listening and sending love and light. We all need lots of that right now. ?
I am sorry about the exposure. I am sure the is nerve racking. Really happy you have a great school and principle. Are the kids virtual because of the staff member with Covid? Are you going into work physically for teaching next week or are you teaching from home?
My daughter is teaching 2 more weeks virtually but from school. She then will be teaching both in- person and virtually. She isn't sure how that will work out yet.
I love your glitter visual. It is so true.
@lovendures Some of the districts in my state are doing a week or so of face to face before we go virtual for five weeks. The rational was to allow us to build relationships before the kids were online. Loved seeing the kids, but holy smokes- seems like maybe the logic was a bit flawed. We are teaching virtually from school now, so in our classrooms- alone. That is better. Sending love to your daughter. It is a lot to juggle, but I am sure she will figure it all out (like teachers do). I hope she has good support at her school. My last school was a disaster, and so I guess that is why I am so incredibly grateful for the place I work now. Thank your daughter for me for being a teacher. ;-) Not easy times for this profession, but she is appreciated.
Thank you Honeybee.
Well, a nice idea to want to make conntections with the students but it might have been a bad idea.
Glitter for sure.
It looks like my daughter has good support this year and a principal who lost a parent and sibling to Covid so there is a great understanding of the costs involved. She is also comfortable speaking up when there is a need. She mentioned when they do go back to in-person classes, as a specials teacher, she needs extra time between classes to clean or else her classroom will become a super spreading location. I believe the schedule is now taking that fact into account.
So proud of her for speaking up.