For the Most Part You Control How Your Day Goes

This is the lesson I learned a few days ago. I realized I have a considerable amount of control on how well or bad a situation can be.

It started off on the wrong foot because of some aggression I was later able to pin upon a book I was reading on Africa, "Race Against Time." It was the first time I felt really appalled about the country's treatment on the one hand and obligation to do something about my reaction on the other. I hadn't noticed that was the case earlier in my day and so I blamed the lack of spunk in my classes on my students. When all of sudden, I thought,

Why don't you start initiating some craziness instead of expecting it from the students?

So, I set aside my disparaging feelings for a bit and actively tried to engage the students that looked "too cool for school." The difference compared to my former classes that day was astounding. It turned my day from rotten to amazing! I had a great time with my students and I saw how I could address these feelings I had towards Africa. While I'm certainly not saying that I or any one person could heal the country over night, I do realize that sitting back and waiting for something or someone else to make things better isn't the way to go. You've probably heard this before and think, "yeah? ya da ya da etc.," but today I didn't just hear it from someone else. I experienced it. And the two are worlds apart. An epiphany.