ParaTecVA is born

I’m having withdrawal symptoms and it’s hurting.

I didn’t get to go on my annual skiing holiday this season and I’m sad.  It’s such a wrench.  Anyone who has enjoyed the adrenaline surge will know what I’m talking about.  Nothing is as uplifting as skiing down the mountain in the early morning sunshine when the pistes are freshly bashed, or there’s been heavy snowfall overnight.  

Even the ride on the chair up to the station is enthralling as you catch sight of, what can only be described as, an imaginary carpet of diamonds below you. It looks like someone has scattered billions upon billions of glistening gems over the milky white mountainside, as the sun blazes down from the azure sky.

Everywhere I go at home I’m reminded of my missed trip to the snowy Alps not least of all by the people who keep asking me “Why aren’t you skiing on your birthday this year?”

It’s my own fault.  I should have ditched the work … outsourced it to someone else.  I should have taken control of the planning myself instead of leaving it to others.  I should have been prepared to go it alone, rather than risk the whole thing falling through, as it inevitably did.

This won’t happen again, I have made myself a solid promise.

I’m catching up by watching videos of previous trips and by speaking to friends about how much they are enjoying themselves in the snow.  This will have to suffice this year … because soon there won’t be any snow left to lust over, it’ll be total melt-down.

I thought you’d like to see just what it is I’m ranting on about … just watch what Cody Townsend can do with a pair of skis! 

So what do you think, are you with me on this?

I hope you are lucky enough to have met an inspiring teacher in your lifetime.

I have.

The first went to enormous lengths to help me make up for lost schooling. I knew at the time that that teacher was a special breed of teacher because it was evident that they actually loved children.

My childhood ill health meant weeks away from school, and, on a few occasions lengthy stays in hospital. It was that teacher too who organised to bring all my classmates to visit me at my hospital bedside to cheer me up.

Another teacher’s kindness is also etched on my heart, she inspired my love of Art and Design. I hold her responsible for everything I have achieved in my life that is remotely connected to the creative arts. I even made a living for a short time as an Interior Designer thanks to the early inspiration she gave me.

Just two influential teachers in a school career spanning fifteen years, from the age of 3 to 18.

How many can you recollect?  

The thing is, they need to know that you loved and respected them, and so you should go out of your way to thank them for all they did for you.

Please promise me you will do this.

I can’t begin to express how touched I was recently when I bumped into a young ex-student of mine, yes, I became a teacher too, and I loved every moment of the time I spent exploring the minds of my students.

We hadn’t seen each other for over a decade but instantly recognised one another. She’s now a very efficient and immaculate Retail Manager of a well-known High Street brand. Her face lit up when she spotted me at the pay-desk and we proceeded to reminisce about those days when she was learning all about ‘good business practice’.

She stopped mid-sentence at one point to interject the conversation with a statement that made tears well in my eyes.  She quietened her voice and said, ” I never told you how much I loved being in your class”, adding, “I use everything you taught me every day in my work, and I can’t thank you enough for helping me to succeed”.

It was unexpected and it was emotional.

She knew that that was her chance to get it said.

I knew she had inwardly acknowledged that she’d felt that sentiment many years earlier.

She didn’t want to lose the opportunity to tell me how she felt.

IF YOU WERE INSPIRED BY A TEACHER, YOU NEED TO TELL THEM.

(Thanks to mudpiesandbutterflies for the wonderful video)