It’s been a year but the experiences that I had faced within that year somehow felt like a decade. It was too good to be true. And they were right, the first year was the hardest. It was the time where I found myself having a tough time adjusting. It was a struggle to force yourself to adapt especially when it’s hard to please the world.
My first year in teaching gave me so many memorable experiences that motivated me to keep going. They weren’t the happiest ones but they were enough for me to be reminded about the things that I never knew I was capable of surmounting until I finally did. And every time I will look back to that whole year’s experience, I found myself being proud for I made it. I surpassed the hardest days because I kept pushing myself enough.
I have realized that every single difficulty that I have been through will stand as proof of how I managed to emerge from the depth and come out stronger than I used to be. They will remind me about how I made everything possible because I believed in myself that I could make it, that I am able to fill in the gaps, to find new answers to my queries and able to do things without having to depend on everything on everyone. I discovered my independence, my hidden skills, my hidden personalities. I had managed to master the things I used to be weak at, tried new things, and allowed myself to be equipped and open for constructive criticism.
Within this year, I saw all my hardships pay off because finally, I am in a place I envisioned myself to be. It’s been a year and it’s still unbelievable because not everyone gets the same blessing and opportunities that I have. That’s the thing that kept me inspired as well because I know that not everyone has been given this chance, some have to wait for years and some grew so hopeless towards fulfilling the career they conditioned their hearts and minds with. That’s why I am one of those fortunate enough that I get to live with my dream without having to wait for too long.
I am lucky and that’s enough to replenish my empty bucket of encouragement. I also recall the tough times I was left with no options but to deal with it with bravery when I was college and now, it seems like all paths paved its way to lead me to my destination —teaching.
I am more than grateful that life, after all, provided me the things I never stopped praying just to have before and this is yet the beginning of the many years that awaits for me as a teacher. This is the start of a roller-coaster life that I will face every single morning that I will get to wake up to and I will always remember how fun and unique the experience and it will linger to me before the day ends.
I will bring the memories of struggles as my reference to determine and compare the extent of my growth, the edges I managed to reached without fear, the chances I will grab, and the chances that I will create for other people. I will never stop just because it was tougher than I imagined. I will take every day as another spur of success that I will bring with me.
I know it was a tough year but I am still on the prologue of the story that I will write. I’ll still have many chapters to face and not skip, there’s be more physical pain or exhaustion that I must get used to. This is yet the beginning and the least that I could do for myself is to prepare and be ready because life as a teacher is full of surprises.
But overall, I am proud of myself. I am happy that I made it and I am glad that from the experience, I will come out with brand-new courage, patience, and love to the passion that kept burning within me.