Life Lessons

This past week the world has lost many great people.  As hard as it is, I try not to get too personal with my posts, but it happens.  And it will happen again with this one.

My first reflection is about my husband's Grandmother, Anastasia Gebhart.  Some of you reading this are related to her...some of you worked with her...others were students while she was here...and others may only know her as the mother of two of your co-workers.  Hands down the hardest worker I have met.  I always looked in awe at how she could raise NINE kids and do all that other "stuff" she did.  She baked, she canned, she carried water (my husband remembers pumping water for Grandma), and then she worked at school...cleaning and caring for so many here.  

I learned some important life lessons from Grandma Gebhart.  I learned that there is nothing quite like Grandma's potato salad and I will never be able to make it "just right" for my husband even though I have the recipe. I learned that cream of mushroom soup goes in EVERYTHING.  I learned that a strong faith will guide you during difficult times.  I learned that family is the glue that ties it all together.  I learned that some times we take care of others before we take care of ourselves.  I learned that you may often give more of yourself than you will ever get back.  In fact, you may not have a thing, but you should still be willing to give.  If you do so, you will be rewarded beyond measure.  Grandma was selfless in her love and her doing.  Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all did the same?  

My second reflection is about the actor Alan Rickman.  Alan Rickman died yesterday of cancer.  He brought to life many fantastic characters, including one of my favorite characters, Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series.  All Potterheads cannot read "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" without doing the Alan Rickman voice on the line, "Turn to page 394".  Here is a link about the lessons we can learn from the character Alan Rickman gave a face to.

http://hellogiggles.com/greatest-lessons-severus-snape/

We are surrounded by people we can always learn from.  It may be your neighbor down the hall...it may be a student in your room...it may be from someone at our next in-service.  Be willing to be open and work towards improving a little more each day.