Let's savor the good stuff of life.

Here's what I tell my Italian amore. I know, dear Cristina, that it is personally repugnant. To see the deficiencies. In the teaching of rudimentary English. In certain Italian schools. But it is what it is. And you must now ask yourself, how to deal with the matter. Maybe by talking to the ones that can do something constructive about it. In other words, to do what you can. To fix the problem. But there is only so much you can do. While operating in and around the educational bureaucracy. Let it be a controlled upset. Do whatever you can. In small ways. In big ways, too, if that’s possible. But often it isn’t.  Accept the fact that you aren’t a magician. You are an individual teacher. With a legitimate concern. Which is why you are a good teacher. You teach well. But you can’t reach everyone. Just do the best you can. Without exhausting yourself. Without lamenting that you can’t do it all.  Without losing sleep over it. When you come home from school, set aside the laments. And savor the good stuff of life. Complain. To me. About the bad stuff. But then let’s get on. Living the good life. Because there is good. So very much good. Let’s learn to be overwhelmed. By the good stuff. Better that. Than to be overwhelmed by the bad stuff. --Jim Broede