Life lessons

Yesterday, we were at my father-in-law's for dinner and as he and T talked about a difficult day T had had at work, he said something rather insightful and brilliant:  It was something to the effect that worrying has no point to it; rather, it should serve as a reminder that you need to do something about it.  Not only that, it should remind you that you've dealt with things before and handled them.  It really struck both T and me. 

I thought about it last night as I prepared for my interview today--the fifth (really, the sixth--I had one two years before I got the job) for my same position in the same school as a long-term sub yet again.  In previous years, I've fretted and over-prepared and gotten flustered.  I've always managed to get the job, but I always worried.  This year, I went into it knowing damn well that I'm a good teacher and that I've proved that repeatedly over the past four years I've been there.  A part of me walked in figuring, if they don't know that by now, I simply don't know what else I can do to show it because I've done so every day.  (Another part of me totally wanted to have a Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption moment and tell them all of that plus say, "Do what you want; I don't give a shit."  I didn't, but I felt rather tempted....)

So I went in, I answered their questions to the best of my ability, and when the principal asked me why I should be chosen for one of the three spots, I looked him straight in the eye and told him "Because I've earned it," and I went through the reasons why I believed that.  I didn't mince words and I didn't pander.  This time, I didn't worry about it so damned much; I did something about it instead.

I've got a baby on the way, imminently.  With the job tenuousness, I have been concerned about the fact that if he's late, my health insurance runs out at the end of the month.  So I could panic...or make sure I'm induced by a certain date.  I can do something about it instead of worrying about it.  It kind of links up with another gem I heard lately:  It takes more effort to procrastinate than to actually get the thing done. 

I hope this is something you can take and use for yourselves--and remind me about doing instead of worrying when I forget myself.  I know I am capable because, without bragging, I've proved it over and over again.  So have you.  Think about it.