Around Holy Week, I decluttered one of the cabinets. I found junk, a lot of it and I also found treasure.

These treasures that I have forgotten, remained at the back of the cabinet with the tube still ok though a bit flattened. Inside a tube is this: My horses!

I mean a cross-stitch pattern of horses I made pre-blogging era. This made me think of english riding apparel for women as well as rides beside a bubbling brook, over hills, amongst trees and beyond the horizon.

Did you use to cross-stitch as a hobby and not as a school project?

I used to have several projects that I was able to finish before my fingers were used to tap-tapping the keyboard and grew stiff after being out of practice. I took up a cross-stitch project two years ago and nothing came out of it anymore.

If there is one thing very positive about Facebook, it keeps us connected to people we have met in the past.

As a teacher, Facebook made it easier for me to “keep track” of my former students. One way or another I know what they are up to, what keeps them busy or what they feel and what their opinions are in some relevant social issues.

I can stand back and observe, put a word or two when asked, applaud (albeit virtually) when they accomplish something big or small and feel proud that I have been a part of their lives.

I may not be able to physically tap their backs for a job well done nor be there to see the boss compressor at guitar center that they recently bought nor even laugh (or cry!) with them, I know that they all have a space in my heart, whether I  still remember their names (those I do not have contact with anymore) or not.

I just hope I have a big enough heart for all of them. I am also glad that we are still “under each others’ radar” even if it is only through virtual connection.

Should I feel old?

A few of my former students are now in college. One is taking up culinary arts, the others are in various fields: two of them in Fine Arts, one in Multimedia Arts (I think we is gearing for a career as a ux professional), another in Film while another one just had his professional license to be a librarian.

And now our eldest daughter is bound for college.

I feel proud of them. I am.

I know how difficult it is to help shape them to be able to face what challenges that the future has in store for them. I can not say I played a big role in all of them as they were growing up, though some at least three of these wonderful kids spent almost a decade of weekly visits with me.

No, I definitely not feel old. I feel accomplished

I am happy for a former student who has completed a college degree and passed the board exams for that degree. The three students I have mentioned in this post are thriving.

Though I have not been a part of his support system in the latter part of his education, I am a proud to be in his support system during his formative years. We are still in touch through yes, Facebook

I still know what goes on with some of my students even if I don’t see them anymore. There are those who are still in school and there are those who are working in their family’s businesses.

There are no monetary rewards that can top seeing that all the hard work resulted in these accomplishments in their lives. I also hope that some of the real life skills/ lessons I have imparted with them has helped them in being able to cope with the challenges that come their way.

We do have our expectations and it is best that we support our children (and in my case, my students) with whatever goals they want to achieve.

I have not finished getting the gifts for my family. As always, am too busy to do this and yes, every year I tell myself “I will not do rush gift buying next year”. But guess what, I say that year after year.

Unlike some who can readily go to the malls at the drop of a hat and get that needed exceptional numark ns7 for a brother or a cousin’s Christmas gift, I have to organize a mental list that is bound to be forgotten of changed from time to time. And because it is a mental list, it is more often forgotten.

I don’t want to be stressed about this process though. When the going gets rough, I plug in my earphones and listen to my collection of classical music and sometimes drift off to sleep. This usually happens when the children are in school.