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Be The Best

The trio met again last evening for dinner and as usual, engaged ourselves in a thought provoking conversation about THE STATE OF EDUCATION! (what's new???!!!). But seriously, such conversations never failed to make me think about what kind of a teacher I would want to be in future. As I listened to dearest Joani's impassionate speech on her personal thoughts/feelings about teachers and teaching, I could not help but feel a little guilty.

She was basically ranting about how some people just cannot see beyond the immediate discomfort, not realising that the so called 'hurdles' at this moment are merely temporal and are meant to toughen us up for the journey ahead, which is not going to be a bed of roses. Succintly putting things into context, it was about one's attitude towards our work. Nothing perfectionist or nazi-sistic but I respect her for the pride she takes in everything she does. Sometimes I 'scold' her for being too kan cheong, making things difficult for herself but I now realised that she just wants to be the best she can be. Period.

I then reflected on my own attitude and I have to say I'm nowhere near being the best I can be. I know I can produce good work, if I want to that is. NIE may put us through ridiculous and time-wasting modules at times but undeniably, they do have their purposes. Essentially, I'm here to get my foundations right before I get launched out as a full-fledged teacher and if I'm not even wanting to do the minimal to help myself be the best I can be, then who am I to teach my students that principle? Can I then add value in their lives? Can I then be a role model for them?

There's no short cuts in life. Whoever think so are living in their own bubble!
We reap what we sow.

I'm not striving to be someone else's best, but my own best. My 'NOW' moments will never come a second time and if I missed the boat, I will miss it forever.
Don't short-change myself and in the process, short-change others.

Thank you my friends for teaching me this lesson.


“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

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