Author: Margaret Murray

Another school year is almost complete! Student turn around awards bestowed me an opportunity to recommend three grade 12 students who completed the required writing assessment pieces. Never did I abandon these students. It was imperative that I respected both their improvement and positive mindset that they showcased for the duration of the past two months. One of the students presented a Norman Rockwell painting entitled “Girl at Mirror” to me and I was honoured to receive this gift. The same photograph was a part of the Provincial English exam. How ironic!

Other grade 12 students from my classes thanked me for a magnificent semester and these students will be missed. Hugs and tears were shared. Many memories to be cherished…right to the finish line!

June 1st arrived with a ray of sunshine and a burst of happiness. Grade 12 students finished a four day marathon of reading and writing about the topic Identity and I was thankful to have Friday off to unwind and walk outdoors in record breaking temperatures.

I woke up to scorching heat and an astonishing personal leave day was about to be acclaimed. Parked the car and walked downtown to see the Canada Skills Competition @ RBC Convention Centre where many young students were happily engaged in what they do best.

Spontaneously, a side trip was taken to a local garden centre where ferns were purchased for our front garden. At this time I was antsy to walk the trails of  Assiniboine Park and lap up the beautiful sunshine. Sitting in the shade by the Duck Pond and observing parents and their little ones feeding the ducks brought smiles to many little faces. Treating myself to an amazing delicious lunch at the cafe’s outdoor patio and downing a pomegranate skinny grape on ice prior to my scheduled pedicure was heavenly. As if this was not enough another cool one on ice was absorbed with Gemma on her deck. Stories of life were shared.

Darryl and I traversed to Pizzeria Gusto and chilled out at the neighbourhood patio where both of us had an opportunity to appreciate life without the thoughts of work life. Refreshing indeed!

It’s a perfect day to catch up on some pleasure and professional reading. This morning I read snippets from edutopia.org which included avenues to empower, motivate and inspire our young leaders of today. Engage students through conversations about what is meaningful to them and connect the books or topics that we are teaching to real life scenarios is powerful and it will be these opportunities that will resonate with them after their school years.

Many students enter our classrooms and we never know what conditions they experienced before arriving to our community. Therefore, it is imperative to make every student feel special in some way. We too, have our difficult times and we must be brave to enter the doors with our positive mindset. Networking with our colleagues both inside and outside of the building is vital.

The best advice I give to students is to stay strong to the finish line and give 100%  in whatever you set out to do. Strive for improvement, meet guidelines, reflect with one another and discover inspiration through many resources. Sometimes things don’t always go according to a plan and it’s important to be flexible. Therefore, it’s foremost to move forward, find something positive in situations, and keep teaching happily!

Gathering all the generations together to celebrate all the moms is an incredible way to launch into the day. Making every mom feel extraordinary is all that is favoured. They crave to be appreciated and celebrated in unique and memorable moments. These moments could be a “hello” from family far away, a handmade card, a coffee shared over an hour, a walk in the park, holding little ones, indulging in a breakfast, lunch or evening dinner prepared by family, or donating to a charity of her choice.

Many stories will be shared with one another today. Savour them. Reading about moms today provided me with admirable ideas including that one mom had written daily lunchbox letters filled with her wisdom. These messages were aimed at guiding her daughter though teenage years. To this day, the daughter still reads them. What an immense idea and the one note that resonated with me is, “We must look for something good in each person.” (Skye Gould, 2017-05-13)

Happy Mother’s Day everyone!

What should I compose today? This question contemplated my mind while perched at  Fools & Horses on a warm, bright Sunday morning. I concentrated on my professional reading and noticed Sheryl Sandberg, author of Lean In and Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. Her phrase “checking-in” resonated with me because it’s imperative to communicate daily with colleagues to develop a positive network.

Everyone experiences unique emotional and professional states. Before we launch into our day, it only takes a second to communicate with each other to create openness, to strengthen connections and to intensify a strong, supportive community. We ought to be proud of the people we work with, discovering joy in our lives, and not be perplexed to share our special moments. Sheryl accredits that it’s our authentic stories that establishes a wholesome, caring circle.

Spring is the perfect season to bring out those running shoes and train for another 10k race. The annual race is three weeks away and it’s a motivator to have a deadline and make each workout a priority. We cherish running outdoors. The air is crisp and the scenery is beginning to perk up with shoots of greenery along the trails.

Another motivator for us is discovering new fitness ideas and weaving them into our daily gym routine. This is a passion of mine because fitness is favourable for everyone and it’s a healthy way to live. Also, exercise should be a gratifying experience that leaves you feeling better and consistency is fundamental to success. Create meaningful workouts for yourself and evolve a passion for fitness.

A beautiful refreshing warm weekend welcomed us this Easter holiday. Many families captured the moment to cycle with their kiddies while others walked their dogs and last but not least, Darryl and I ran Wolseley and Wellington Crescent. Celebrate!

Spring has sprung and it’s rejuvenating to experience the green shoots poking through the ground. It’s a miracle that they thrived and survived our harsh winter. Symbolizing the rebirth of nature and seeing the growth of flower buds within three days and even more so since we had a splashdown of warm rain is definitely a sign of renewal. Focusing our energy on gardens is where a new life, a new hope, and new beginnings emerge. Celebrate!

Easter is also about acknowledging that our Saviour has risen. We welcome new beginnings and it’s a time to reflect about our lives which should be filled with passion, purpose, and happiness through which we share with one another. Celebrate!

Got motivation!  We laced up our shoes and the goal was to complete a long distance run. It was rewarding to reach the park’s water fountain and absorb the sunshine.

Fitness is meant to be challenging but also indulging in a variety of exercises is what keeps me lean and strong. Workouts need to be fun, tough and engaging. To set one major goal for fitness training inspires me to keep improving. Throughout the years I’ve added in some high intensity interval training.

My journey of fitness and wellness started in 1991 and I’ve gain muscle, confidence and mostly gratitude that empowers me to keep improving. No one is perfect. However, being strong and happy are ingredients that keep me going.

Taking a little trip home to visit mom and dad was rewarding. Sipping coffee with mom and reading their daily newspaper was the routine. Dad drifting in and out of sleep still overheard our conversations. The three of us thoroughly relished our breaded haddock on the last evening. It was a relaxing four days and family time is valuable.

Meeting Darryl in old Montreal for three days of our mini holiday was a time for us to unwind from daily work. Walking the cobblestones, scouting out new and familiar cafes, taking photos, shopping for a few essential wardrobe pieces, indulging in a couple of evening dinners and sipping glassses of vino near our hotel sums it up. Embarking on a little side trip once a year is imperative.

Spring makes us hopeful of prominent things to come. Waking up to sunshine pouring into the house puts a smile on one’s face and it’s time to think of mild days and freshness of spring. Everyone’s mood and outlook on life sprouts growth of happiness after a long, dormant winter.

It’s refreshing to see the trees budding, little ones wearing their colourful spring jackets and rubber boots. Telling stories about our favourite spring season is a sure sign of a shared community. Spring holidays and Easter traditions are favourites of mine.They both complement the tone for youthfulness and fresh beginnings in many ways including the pairings of a little denim jacket with jeans, and infusing a sprightly makeup look.