Often at this time of year, we hear people talk about all of the wonderful things in their lives for which they are thankful. Like others, I too am truly thankful for the blessings that I have including my faith, my family, my friends, my church, my work, my district, and my community-- just to name a few. Blessings are so often taken for granted and sometimes we even categorize things, events, and even people into such compartments as “blessing” or “burden”. It is at this time of year that I am also reminded of how our perception really controls how we see our blessings and our burdens. For example, for someone working long hours to finish a deadline, the job is perceived as a burden and somewhat of a hardship. However, to others, who CHOOSE to see the blessing in this situation, know that being blessed with employment in these difficult economic times is something of which to be truly grateful. Another example may be when a young mother is trying to keep it all together at home and sees her chores and often mundane tasks as a burden, all-the-while across town, a young mother-in-waiting is anxiously anticipating a call from an adoption agency.
This same choice applies to our school district. The students that we serve often have so many blessings, but we also know that many are facing burdens as well. I was recently reminded by a colleague that the Holidays are perceived by so many to be a time of joyful gatherings and gift exchange. However, for many of our students, it is a time of loneliness, abandonment, and even hunger. Although this is a heartbreaking reality, I am thankful for the opportunity to be a small part of serving these children every day in Pampa ISD. The challenges our educators face in meeting the needs of so many of our students are overwhelming at times. But the challenge is truly a blessing when we CHOOSE to embrace that challenge as an opportunity to truly make a difference in the life of a child. Pampa ISD is blessed to have literally hundreds of staff working daily often before and after school to be a blessing for their students.
On behalf of Pampa ISD, we hope you and yours have a blessed Thanksgiving and we encourage you to CHOOSE to see the blessings every day!
Tanya Larkin
Superintendent
Published on 11/22/2017
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