DEAR BOY

DEAR BOY

You won't remember me, but I was the substitute teacher in your class the other day. I stood there

watching you and your mates settle in to some work and  listened to all the usual chatter about how boring school was and where exactly was your "normal" teacher. Every time I hear that phrase I smile and imagine I've grown horns, or better still another head, as I'm obviously an " abnormal" teacher.

Unlike your friends you seemed to be having an important conversation, so much so I didn't stop you. I mean it did sound important when you told your friend 
" If you're not happy about yourself, you've got to change".
Your wisdom bowled me over. Your friend is very lucky to have you on his side.

While you all worked quietly ( surprisingly), I kept thinking about what you had said about not being happy and needing to change. And as I thought of many different situations in the lives of myself and others, I realised that the advice was good but needed more depth. It's not enough to realise you've got to change. You also need to know how to change and when to change.

Many years ago I made a very short bucket list. It had two goals on it, well maybe three. They were:

1. To get back to a normal weight.
2. To have breast reduction ( yes, first world problem to some, a real load to carry for me).
3. To spend time in Italy learning to speak Italian from the locals.

Now its obvious that the first two examples were classic examples of not being happy with myself and needing to make changes. But apart from saving the money for number 3, I didn't know what I should be doing to make the necessary changes for any of them. I simply had no idea when or how to start.

In the end life decided to interfere and hijack my bucket list. How, when or why simply became irrelevant.

In my early forties I got breast cancer and ended up with a double mastectomy. Be careful what you wish for - I got my breast reduction. Towards the end of my forties I chose to have bariatric surgery. I got my weight reduction, but almost died in the process. Was I happy to tick both items off my bucket list? Well, no. I found no satisfaction in having the change process taken out of my hands or come to think of it the near death experiences.

So, maybe dear boy, what you should have said is " If you're not happy about yourself, make changes quickly, before " life" intervenes and takes you down a pathway you never intended to be on". It's obvious that I'm not very good at taking my own advice. So I've been thinking that because you're so
wise and you're often sitting on that computer, maybe you could put together a " how to" guide to help me. I'm going to give this " change" thing another go. I have recently extended my bucket list and I need to make some changes to achieve everything. Then I think I'll be very happy. Well I hope so anyway.

Let me share my newly extended bucket list with you:

4. Travel around Australia in a caravan and spend quality time with the husband.

5. Cuddle a chimpanzee. (I've wanted to do this since I was a child).

6. Attend the Australian Rules grandfinal.

7. Cruise the Mediterranean and relax.

8. Make macarons like a pro.

9. Frock up for the Melbourne Cup.

10. Ride a camel or an elephant or both and overcome the fear of doing it.

Now, I've chosen carefully. Give or take an elephant in a mood or a terrorist explosion on my ship, I should be right. There should be no near death experiences here. And yes dear boy we will drive carefully and no we won't go if Collingwood is in the grandfinal...as if that's going to happen any time soon anyway !

So, will you help me? I have my goals, but I just need some ideas on how to achieve them soon, not in another twenty years. I'm getting happy just thinking about this all.

Have a good day! I'm off to look at travel brochures on Italy.

Regards,

The SubstituteTeacher

PS- Dear readers,
                            What is on your bucket list that you've been putting off?
                            What changes should you make immediately to reach that goal?