REFLECTION ZONE: The Alchemist

Can you define your Personal Legend?

I don't think that I can define my personal legend the way that I can define a vocab word.  I think if someone follows his/her dreams they are creating their personal legend.  I don't think that personal legend should be singular, because people might have multiple personal legends.  My personal legends consist of the journey I'm on.  Just like Santiago learned that the real treasure was the journey, the people he met, the knowledge he gained along the way, and his experiences, I agree the treasure if found in the journey and what happens along the way of reaching your dreams.  I wouldn't say my entire personal legend is my path to becoming a teacher, but I'd like to think it is one of my personal legends.

At what time in your life were you first able to act on it?

I think some of our personal legends began when we were young children.  I think I first acted on my path to become a teacher at a very young age.  I loved to play school.  I would come home from elementary school and teach my younger sister everything I learned that day.  If she was busy or didn't want to play I would line up my dolls and stuffed animals and teach them.  My dad would even join in sometimes and play the role of a student named "Marty."  I had fun, and I think this played a part in my journey to become a teacher.

What was your "beginners luck?"

My beginners luck would be the positive experiences I had working for the Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Department as a summertime playground leader.  My park was a place for neighborhood kids to come play games and sports, make crafts, and have fun. It was a magical experience where I learned so much about kids and what was important to them.  They let me into their worlds and I learned how to work with a variety of kids. I worked with kids with special needs, kids of different races, and kids of from varying socio-economic status. They taught me more than I taught them.  While the paycheck was nothing to brag about there were times I couldn't believe that I was actually getting paid to do what I was doing! The relationships I made and the memories I created will last a lifetime. This experience had a great impact on my life and could easily be identified as my beginners luck.
I would also say I had some beginners luck when it came to landing my first teaching job.  I'm thankful to my first principal who took a chance on me and hired me.  When I got my job, my Grandma Thompson wrote me a letter saying that she hoped I would be working with good people, and I lucked out because I truly am.

Did anything prevent you from following your vision to conclusion?

While I was lucky that nothing prevented me from following my dream to become a teacher, there were setbacks or obstacles to overcome along the way.   I will not lie and say the road was easy, but with the love and support of my family and friends I achieved this dream in my life. 

Do you know what inner resources you need to continue the journey?

The longer I am a teacher the more I realize that I need to have a strong faith to do this job well.  I need the support of my parents, my sister Molly, my brother Ben, my husband Brian to continue on this journey.  I liked how it was mentioned in the book that people are brought into your life to help you achieve your goals.  I also liked that it was stated that love doesn't stand in the way of personal dreams, love helps us progress and gives us strength to fulfill our dreams.  I am so fortunate to have people who matter so much to me, who are there for me whenever I need them. Without them, I could not be who I am today. It is also nice to have respected coworkers who support me.  I am thankful I have friends to help me take a break and take my mind off my profession when I need to.  My dog, Titus, also helps reduce my stress level.  No matter how stressed out and overwhelmed I feel, he makes me smile and feel good.

"Along the way we learn to trust ourselves, read the signs, and understand that as we look to fulfill a dream, it looks to find us just the same, if we let it."

The boy found the treasure back where he started- the real treasure was the journey. When he questioned why he wasn't told this earlier, he was told, "You wouldn't have gotten to see the Pyramids. Weren't they beautiful?"  This really touched me.

This book made me think of the lyrics from two songs - "The Dance" by Garth Brooks and "The Beauty of the Rain" by Dar Williams.   They both became a little more clearer to me.