Not made to be lone rangers

At the end of the school day yesterday I was a little frustrated at how parts of the school day had gone. The difference came when I chatted to 2 of my colleagues after school and shared how the day had gone. How I'd tried to make it challenging and fun. How I'd got myself in a right tizz. How the children had not seemed to get on with what I'd asked them to do, being more interested in talking about Pirates of the Caribbean or playing 'it' at break time. Talking and listening to them made me realize that I'd given them something much too hard. And I'm not the world-fixing, all-child-teaching machine that I sometimes delude myself into thinking I am. I will get things right, and I will get things wrong. That's why I'm not made to be a lone ranger.

Thinking about this in the shower this morning I was reminded that if we were all lone rangers in our jobs, relationships, lives, we'd not be reaching the best in each situation. For example with Cat and I, who have been happily married for 5 and a half months now (:D), if we both just did our own thing, didn't ask each other for help, or leaned on each other at times we wouldn't be enjoying marriage anywhere near as much. There's a blending that's occurring where both she and I are learning to share what we both do best, learning how to support the other and finding that the more we do blend our lives together, the better life is.

At home, Cat listening to how much day had gone made a world of difference. In school, having Leigh and Viki listen to my rantings on the day and share their thoughts at the end of the day was a massive help, and I know that there are skills that we all bring to the table to make our school a better place. If we all just did our job without raising our heads out of the sand and looking around for how else we can use what we've been given, our school would not be the family it is.

All of this reminds me how we are all individuals. We have a unique blend of skills and abilities. We have unique personalities. We are in the places we are meant to be. However, I firmly believe we get the best out of life when we share the best that we are with the people around us. Life is in relationships. Friends, family, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, sons, daughters and children (in class or your own!)

We're not made to be lone rangers. We're made to be part of the great party riding out into the un-known. We're made for relationships. Sharing yourself can be hard, but it brings vitality to your life.

TheWeeScottie