I was disappointed many times in applying for jobs out of college. I was given the opportunity to teach at two different schools, both as a part time teacher. I decided on one of the schools because of geography, it was closer to family and home and had a little bit more responsibility than the other. I was disappointed to find out that the next year there was a full-time position that opened up at the school I didn't choose. The greater good from all of this is that there is not a community of teachers that I'd rather work with than at Salk Middle School. Even though it took until my third year to become a full time teacher here, the relationships, both personal and professional, have been so rewarding!
The second link is the first time I had to learn to trust the universe that everything would turn out alright. I had my first blood clot as a junior in college, it was in a vein in my brain. I found out that I had some genetic predispositions to clotting, including a common genetic mutation that presented itself when in most other people who have the mutation, it does not present any issues at all. I was hospitalized and did not have great health insurance. Beside facing my own mortality at a pretty young age, I had to figure out how to pay a $45,000 hospital bill. Fortunately, the universe led me to calm my own feelings about life and death, and led me to find avenues to pay for my bills through a charity through the church and my insurance.
The third link on my chain is Kyle Ward, my advisor who guided me back into teaching. The story of this you already read.
The last link is my teaching mentor, Ron Hustvedt. When I started teaching, I had no idea what I was doing. I came to him MANY times for last minute help, for ideas on how to teach middle school (I was strong in high school positions previously), for a shoulder to cry on when it all came crashing down on me. I don't know the moment that I began to trust him, but I remember a time I ran to his room immediately after I taught my one section of 8th grade civics and told him I had completely messed everything up, and that I had no idea how to get us back on the right track. He graciously counseled me in the middle of teaching one of his classes. I'll never forget that he took that moment to care about my needs, even though he had 30 little eyes staring back at us... or was it a video they were watching... back then it didn't really matter, I used to think they were always watching. Ron also counseled me to begin my master's, and guided me to the St. Mary's program. He wrote me at the beginning of this journey to "do all of it for what it will feed your mind, your spirit, and your wisdom. It has been a joy to work with you all these years not because I feel like you needed my support, but because I needed your spark...you have inspired me to be better, to do more, and to continue on the path I've been on." What an amazing example of leadership!
He ended up meeting with the owners of the previous company and they rehired him. He has advanced so far in the few years he's been working with them. He has even transitioned to being a jack of all trades for the company, having expertise in at least three service areas of the company. I am so proud of all his hard work. Little did I know that the decrease in pay would never be that big of a deal, but his joy in his job had improved by so much.