It's The Last Day In Reedley...

.:Slain!:.

So last night, a few teachers hung out and had isaw at UP, then went around the Sunken Garden before finally having dinner at Mang Jimmy's.

That being said, with all the insane stuff we were up to, we were pretending to be teachers from Fountain International School to "protect" our identities. It was a riot and a half for everyone involved, and I'm thankful I got to hang out with a few of my colleagues before the schoolyear ended. I was way too anti-social for most of the year, admittedly.

Throughout the night, since Mr. Flores was going to give a reflection this morning, we were ribbing him to do something never been done before. Since he was renewing for the next year, I guess it's safe to say that he had no plans of performing career suicide, and his presentation just really slew us, since most of the people who were there last night sat up front to try to make him laugh.

.:Reflection Courtesy Of Mr. Flores' Slide Show...:.

Yes, I know it's not originally his, either.

A young lady was waiting at an airport for her flight.

She became a little hungry and went into a shop and bought a bag of her favorite chocolate chip cookies.

She took the cookies put them in her handbag then found a seat in the airport lounge next to a man reading a newspaper.

After a few minutes she reached down beside her and took a cookie from the bag on the armrest between them, then to her astonishment the man sat next to her also took a cookie from the bag, smiled at her and ate it. She felt irritated but thought it best not to say anything. She then had another cookie and the man also took one. Now she was getting a little annoyed and thought to herself 'The nerve, I ought to punch him in the nose!'.

Then she had a third biscuit, he took another from the bag, smiled at her again and munched away without saying a word. This continued for every cookie she had he took one too. Now she was really angry, but still said nothing because she didn't want to make a scene.

Finally there was one cookie left, 'Ah ha!' she thought 'What's he going to do now?'

Well, he reached into the bag, took out the last remaining cookie, broke it in half and offered half of it to the young lady. That was the last straw. Without saying a word she picked up her handbag and stormed off to board her plane.

Sitting on the plane, still fuming she settled in her seat and looked in her handbag for her reading glasses and book.

There she saw the bag of cookies she had bought earlier, unopened, untouched. She had forgotten she had put her cookies in the handbag.

To her horror she realized that, the man wasn't in the wrong. He had shared his bag of cookies without feeling angry or bitter. He had even shared his last cookie with her without a word of complaint or any signs of annoyance.


All the while she had felt anger towards him and he was in fact the one sharing with her and now she had no opportunity to explain herself or apologize.

I learnt something from this story. There are four things which cannot be recovered.

The stone... After it has been thrown.

The word... After it has been said.

The occasion... After the loss.

The time... When it has passed.

Now, If you are the one sat there thinking someone is 'stealing my cookies' and the whole World is against me, take a moment and think, am I screwing myself out of a good friend?

.:And So, I Thank You All:.

I've thanked the students, but I'd be remiss not to thank everyone else.

I don't want to waste my time and not thank the colleagues I have gotten to know in Reedley, who have managed to make a huge difference in my life. A lot has happened in the three quarters I've been with this school, but leaving Reedley after a mere three quarters is making a far more profound impression upon me than leaving radio after three years.

I think every single experience I've had with RIS, both positive and negative, have impacted upon me ineffably. I am a stronger person, a better listener, and a kinder human being. I'm still far from perfect, but now, I'm perfectly fine with that.

Thank you, Reedley. Thank you for making me a better human being.