Let me tell you a story:
When I woke up this morning, I decided to check my phone messages (I’m the worst at checking phone messages), and I was excited to hear that my new iPad Mini was in stock. (On the weekend, I purchased three iPad Minis for the classroom from some of the award money that I received, but when I brought the iPads home, I realized that one wouldn’t turn on. I returned it, and with none left in stock, the store had to order one for me. Yippee!! I could pick it up this morning. What a perfect start to the day! Okay Aviva: don’t speak too fast! :))
When I made it to school, I went to class to get things organized. As I do every morning, I unplugged the iPods and iPads and got them set-up. But wait, one of my new iPad Minis wouldn’t turn on. The screen was completely black! Time for a hard reset, but still nothing. Are you kidding me? I sent out a tweet asking if other people have run into problems with the Minis, and Jonathan So, a teacher from the Peel Board, replied. It was his reply to this tweet of mine that changed things for me today.
That’s it Aviva: just laugh! This advice couldn’t have come at a better time. When I went to return the iPad and pick up my new one, the employee said to me, “Well isn’t this strange. This NEVER happens! Have you used iPads before?” 🙂 I had to chuckle.
After some unexpected issues, I got back from the store before school started, and I sent out this tweet to Jonathan. Here’s our follow-up conversation — of which Jonathan’s advice, I took to heart all day today!
Well, let’s fast forward to first nutrition break … I go to check my mailbox, and I notice that our identification name cards have arrived. Have a look at mine! (I couldn’t resist sending my principal and vice principal a tweet for a couple of more laughs — and they joined in with some humour of their own.)
It’s now the end of the day. I thought that seeing as though it’s December 11th, I should possibly start thinking about Christmas presents. 🙂 I knew what my best friend wanted, so I figured it was easy enough to order online. I was so pleased that I could even manage to find his mailing address and get things ordered so quickly, but then I got the confirmation email: pick up in store. But the store’s in the middle of no where in Toronto, and I have zero directional sense. Why would a company ask for a shipping address, and then ship the product to the store? No problem! I’ll just cancel the order and start again. I go to do so, but wait, in 10 seconds or less, the product’s already been “shipped to the store,” and is ready for pick-up. 🙂 Time to send out an email and see if I can get things shipped, and as I wait to find out more, all I can do is laugh! I guess there’s value in not starting Christmas shopping until December 24th! 🙂
There’s also value in taking the time to laugh. Chuckle hard, chuckle often, and smile lots! Today could have been a terrible day. I could have been frustrated by my iPad issues, annoyed about my school photograph (of which, I usually manage to avoid getting one, and this is what happens when I do — go figure! :)), and angry about the present problems, but instead I chose to smile. I actually had a great day today! Attitude is everything … and it’s at this time that I’m reminded of the way that my principal, Paul Clemens, signs off on the announcements each day: “Make it a great day or not. The choice is yours!”
How did you make today great? How do you use laughter to change your outlook? As Sue Dunlop says, “Happy smiling!” 🙂
Aviva
So I think you had one of those days, but you’re right just smile. This is all I think about whenever I am in a stressful situation; I guess it’s my coping mechanism. But to be honest I often find myself a little less stressed because of it. Life is life and we can only change ourselves. Thanks for sharing your day, it made me smile some more. As a side note if the package isn’t too far downtown I can pick it up for you and bring it to Hamilton. Let me know.
Thanks for the comment, Jonathan, and for the sweet offer to help! I’m hoping that the company can just ship out the present, and if not, my friend lives in the Toronto area, so maybe this can become a “scavenger hunt” for his Christmas gift. 🙂 Here’s to remaining positive! 🙂
You’re right too about the power of laughter! Today would have usually stressed me out, but after a few chuckles, I actually felt very relaxed. Smiling is a powerful thing. 🙂
Aviva
P.S. After writing my response, I pressed “Cancel” on my comment instead of “Reply,” and the whole thing disappeared. Here’s to one more laugh for the day! 🙂
Lol, keep on smiling. It reminds me of a muppet song but I think that was keep on swimming and now that I am writing I think it’s finding nemo the musical. Have a three yr old, it’s all I listen to.
This is like the digital version of “Name that Tune!” 🙂 Keep on smiling is always good advice. Thanks Jonathan!
Aviva
So, have you ever used and iPad? And, do you really save shopping to the 24th? (If you need help with the pickup we are in TO often.
As for laughing……I do it often. Now people simply know I’m there because of my laugh. I love to laugh. Even when days are as comically frustrating as yours was.
Here’s a question to ponder…..How do we teach our students to laugh at the things that just don’t go the way they want (or thought) them to? You mentioned attitude being everything and I couldn’t agree more. For our students though, this is a difficult thing to teach. We often sound like we are nagging or badgering when we talk about how a change in attitude can put a whole new light on a situation. I often think there are not enough ways to model how a smile can change anything. When did our world get so high stress for children that they can’t just laugh things off?
Very deep tonight I know. Guess who has had a very bad evening? Trying to work him through it is always hard work. We talk today about seeing the humor in things. Not sure we got very far.
Have a great day tomorrow.
Thanks for the comment, Tammy! You’ve given me lots to reply to. Let’s start at the beginning:
1) Yes, I’ve used an iPad often, but yesterday that was questionable. 🙂
2) I really do save shopping until the 24th (or sometimes the 23rd) … and I NEVER step foot in a mall between November and December. Now you can infer what my gifts are like … 🙂
3) I’m hoping that the store can mail the present out. If not, he lives in the Toronto area, so maybe it could be a scavenger hunt gift … one he needs to pick-up on his own. 🙂
4) I’m glad that you love to laugh and do so often. Laughter is an amazing thing!
5) Modelling how to laugh things off is such a hard thing to do! I know that I try to do this regularly in the classroom to hope that students see it in action, but I get how that “person we know” may be feeling tonight. When I was a kid (and even a young adult), I wouldn’t have been able to laugh off a day like yesterday. I probably would have been frustrated and in tears. My parents would have told me to see the humour in things, but it would have been impossible. I realized last night, how much “growing up” in me it took to get to that point. And, without Jonathan’s reminder at the time of the first problem, I don’t know if I would have laughed. So I totally get why this is so difficult for kids to “laugh things off,” and maybe, this is something that comes with age. (I agree with you though that it’s sad that the kids are the ones that feel the kind of stress where they can’t laugh things off.)
6) I emailed you to find out more about what’s wrong with the “person that made you so reflective tonight.” I hope everything’s okay.
Have a great day full of lots of smiles, I hope! 🙂
Aviva
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