A Life Lesson

I grew up being afraid to be close to anyone not because I am lacking in social skills but because I am afraid of rejection. For me, belonging to a group was likened to being accepted. Elementary days were spent in the company of my sister and cousins. My high school days were a school-home-school typical routine. No special friendships were made during those years.
When I started university, I was recruited to be a part of a presumably elite group of students who met and prayed during Saturday nights. There were only two of us from the freshmen batch who were invited to join. I stayed for four years. I was happy to be a part of this group feeling that I had found a group that had acknowledged my presence and contributions.
At present, belonging to a group is still a thing for me but it is not my ultimate goal in life. When I meet people, I make friends with them. When I am friends with them, I keep contact. When the contact is broken, I retreat. When a friendship is threatened, I act positively. I even tell myself that there had been many opportunities of friendships that I missed and I regretted them.

So now, I put great emphasis on creating friendships as part of my lesson plan in school. I see in my little angels something I had neglected when I was much younger. I wanted them to grow happy and delight with the happiness brought by being close to people and having great relationships. I am glad to see friendships grow right within my environment and right through the hearts of my students both in school and in my special classes.

One fine example is my student's love towards her friend. This is something I should be telling those who had left and those I had intentionally neglected. That I am sad for their absence and I wish to bring those good old times. I definitely learn things from my students, a life lesson indeed.

"When Pleng told me she will go to America, I was heartbroken."

Art work by Keena, inspired from the book Fancy Nancy