My Dear Students

Tomorrow begins my 9th year as a theatre teacher, can you believe it? I can't. It's amazing to me how time flies, and the older I get, the faster it goes. This summer flew by and was awesome, challenging, exhausting and never dull! I need a break to recover. Unfortunately, I must get back to it all tomorrow. And before I do, I want to take a moment and reflect.

 I truly do have an extraordinary life. Granted, it hasn't turned out the way I had anticipated, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been an incredible ride. I remember in high school when I made the decision to be a teacher, and then on my mission, when I discovered my natural knack for teaching and my future career choice was solidified. I realize that I am very fortunate that my career choice came so easily for me, I know it is not that way for everyone.
My favorite thing about being a teacher is seeing the kids 'get it' and build confidence in themselves. How they grow, learn and miraculously turn into amazing adults.

So to my dear former students, thank you for trusting me, for laughing with me and creating beautiful memories with me! You have touched my life more than you will ever know. You have changed me, taught me and made me feel so loved, and for that I am forever grateful. I hope you know you can accomplish anything, and that I am here cheering you on!

My dear current students- I love your faces! Let's get to work and make this year amazing and one for the record books!

My dear future students- you are in for such an amazing ride! ;)

Love, Ms. Parkes

Struggles

In light of recent events, social media has exploded with varying opinions on depression and suicide. And, hoo boy, do they run the gamut. Let me be candid, growing up under very difficult situations I felt like "depression" was a cop out. Here I was with every reason to be depressed and yet I tried very hard to remain positive and happy- granted it was hard- and granted it was a struggle. But, overall I was ok. Or was I? Thankfully I have come to realize that depression is something that is very real. It is an imbalance in the brain that is more than just having a bad day. It needs to be dealt with and addressed so that people will be able to cope with their particular lot in life. Sometimes it's circumstantial and sometimes it's a life- long struggle but that doesn't negate the importance of the struggle.

Suicide is not the answer. But calling someone selfish that commits suicide is not right. You don't know their state of mind, you don't know their heart, don't presume to speak for them. It's sad to me that people feel so hopeless that they get to the point of ending their life. I don't understand it, I just try to have compassion toward it.

Which brings me to the main point of this blog post- struggles. One of the biggest (ha!) struggles of my life is my weight. You see, growing up I didn't suffer from clinical depression but I ate in order to cope with the reality of my situation. I didn't make a conscious choice to be fat, I was a child- faced with some impossible circumstances and I just found comfort in food. Just as no one chooses their struggles- I did not choose mine. I live every day trying to make good choices and trying to overcome my struggle and it is excruciatingly hard for me. Just as your particular struggle is for you.

We all make choices that have consequences. We all go through so much in this life. Some struggles are self imposed, some are a result of something else and some are just what is. But we ALL struggle, we all feel imperfect, we all just want someone to lift us.

So instead of shaming in any form, we should all strive to be less judgemental and more compassionate to our fellow human beings. Heaven knows we all need it.