Seeing Clearly

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya

"To be honest with yourself is to gain knowledge into who you really are."
~ Unknown
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I remember it so well. I certainly knew better, but I went for it anyways. The last day of school is always very emotional for me but silly me I just HAD to start the “goodbye/ you have meant so much to me” speech with my class. Well, I got about as far as “You have been an amazing class, and I am extremely proud of all of you.” After that the tears started flowing and I could barely continue, especially when I saw some students also crying.  

Well, I did what I had to do then to get by and that was to put my prescription glasses up on my head, so I did not have to witness their sad expressions. This is a little trick I have learned to help me through some difficult and emotional times.  

I first used this handy technique when I had to sing at my high school graduation. As it too was emotional for me, the fact that I could face a sea of blurred, expressionless faces gave me the help I needed to sing with gusto. Somehow the way I saw it is when you can’t really see it, you can endure it.  

Well, I did finally get a hold of myself at school after sending out some emergency texts for prayer and we actually did have a nice last day despite the tears. I was grateful that the year had been so incredible that the emotion was there, as it was a testament to the good times we had had and all the great memories we shared. ​

Sometimes seeing things clearly can be too painful. Although the blurred vision technique worked for me that day, in life we need to face our issues clearly to make true progress. This is often not as easy as it sounds.

When I would do substance abuse counselling with my clients, we talked a lot about denial when it comes to our problems. Denial can be broken down to “Don’t– Even - Notice - I – Am – Lying.” Sometimes we become too comfortable with looking the other way pretending issues don’t exist in our lives. That can only continue for so long without consequences as eventually important issues need to be addressed.  

I would often see this with alcoholic clients who had convinced themselves that becoming social drinkers was their goal. The thought of giving alcohol up altogether was just too painful for them, so only drinking "socially" was a nice compromise, or so they thought.  A recipe for disaster is more like it, but they must realize that on their own to overcome it.   

Photo by Alexas Fotos

Every day is a new day. A new beginning waits for us each day. What do your eyes see as your strengths and your struggles? We all have them.

What can you start today to activate change in your life and initiate positive steps? For each one of us it is different. 
 
Well the summer is upon me, and I can see clearly the school year I have left behind. It is good to do some honest reflection with no blurred vision.

​I am both ready for a change and a rest, yet grateful for all the positive things that have taken place. Feel free to email me ([email protected]) about what you are working on. I would love to pray with you or cheer you on to victory! Remember you can't change what you don't acknowledge.
 
~ Until next time, 
 
Dana 
 
Romans 12: 1-2 (The Message Bible) So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. 
 
Little Lesson Learned: Looking closely at a situation that needs changing can be scary, but it is the first step to positive change. 

© 2024, 2nd edition, 1st edition, 2015, Blurred Vision  littlelessonslearnedbydana 

Tags: elementary teaching, denial, honesty, making changes, setting goals

Author

​Dana Romualdi is a Canadian elementary teacher, blogger, author, and speaker. She has a passion for helping others and spreading much-needed encouragement. She lives in Canada with her husband and two grown children. When she is not working in the classroom or blogging, she enjoys drinking coffee, watching Netflix and reading great books.