Put it back
. At the end of a regional VELS Focus group meeting last Friday, it was announced that somebody was celebrating his 55th birthday and would be soon retiring. A balloon and chocolate cake were suddenly revealed to a united, merry chorus of Happy Birthday with lights dimmed and voices disguised in line with current legal requirements.
I was very impressed with his stated desire to start on a new journey in his life, not complete a PHD or travel but to work as a volunteer in the local community that had given him so much over the years. We had a fascinating chat afterwards about some of the hardships that his family had gone through many years ago.
On the drive home, I reflected that perhaps his last lesson as a teacher was for me to be grateful for everything that I have and to put something back in.