Counting Chicks

Remember the old saying, "Don't count your chicks before they hatch"? Well, I should have remembered that over the past few months.



Last school year, I substituted as occasion allowed for Instructional Assistants in the local school district. I thought my service in this role was appreciated. And I particularly enjoyed my interaction with students in the "Learning Center." This is the group who are only mildly disadvantaged in their learning processes. I got to sit in with them in some of their mainstream classes. And I worked with them in the Learning Center sessions as well, when they worked on special projects designed to help them increase their comprehension and application of concepts and information.



In the Spring, one of the male teachers approached me about applying for one of the upcoming vacancies that would occur in their department. He said that if I was interested, he would campaign earnestly for my acceptance. He felt that the department needed more male presence (at that point, all 4 IA's in the department were young ladies) and that I would be a good fit for their needs.



I figured, with inside support like that, I was virtually assured of getting hired. He did his part. I know he did all he could. But other forces weighed in and other people were chosen--again. (This has happened before.)



Unfortunately, I (and to a degree BW also) had been counting on this job. I/we felt it would meet some definite needs we have for clearing our credit card debts. And it would enable me to take more short term mission trips. We had already been planning some opportunities--tentatively planning. It was more like dreaming.



But when the dream turned sour yesterday evening (I first wrote this on Tuesday, 26 August), I felt the hit particularly hard.

(Following added, 29 Aug:) I'm feeling somewhat better now. It suddenly occurred to me that I think I must have a fair quantity of resilience inside me, because I keep getting knocked down and I keep getting back up and trudging on. So already I'm thinking of some alternative courses of action (no firebombing the Sped department is NOT one of the courses). But I still have occasional, brief spaces of time when I wonder why I keep doing anything.

Thanks for reading!