Support comes in many forms. It can be given by loved ones in time of crisis, or on a daily basis to help you reach small goals. It can come in the form of money or short notes of encouragement. Support is what gets us through the day just as much as it helps us through a hard time. Support is needed by all.
I have been blessed with a wonderful network of support in my life. I have daily supports; my co-teacher helping me plan lessons and implement them, my family calling to be sure I’m doing well, money made from work and given through the government to assist me in completing school, “to do” lists, and support from my roommates in keeping our house a home. I also have emotional support; my family and friends are always there when I need them. Physical support is also important; my trainer at the gym, massage therapist, and physical therapist. All of these supports are what allow me to feel healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally.
All people need support on a daily basis, and I am no different. I need support from my co-teachers when working to solve a problem with a family, child, or work issue. They lend their support by offering ideas and strategies that I may not have thought of. Sometimes, just offering a different perspective can be a great support. I need support from my family and friends when facing challenges in my day to day; whether it be a bad break up or just a lousy day at work. My family and friends offer their support by calling me and talking to me, visiting me, or sending notes so that I don’t feel so far from home. The physical support I receive from going to the gym or getting a massage when my body aches are essential to feeling well physically and therefore opening the gate to feeling well emotionally and professionally. If these supports were absent from my life, I’m unsure what I would do. Certain things I could live without; I could live without a massage once a month. However, I don’t know what I would do without the support of my family and friends, which has been so essential to my growth and personal development. I also would be lost without colleagues that I respect and value their opinions. It would be difficult to be in a classroom all day by myself with fifteen five year olds and no other perspective or teaching style. It would be hard to be a reflective educator with no other opinions to reflect on.
The most difficult support to lose would be emotional support. Life throws curveballs at all of us, and it’s the support we receive during these times that will determine how we handle a difficult situation. I am fortunate to have unwaivering support from the people closest to me; even if I haven’t spoken to one of my friends or family members in a long time, I have never been questioned when I really needed them for support.
There have been many challenges I have faced over the years; personally and professionally; that have required much support. It was difficult to think of a hypothetical situation when I have so many true examples of the support that I have needed and experienced, and sometimes, did not receive. However, I chose to imagine becoming unemployed. In this economy, it is difficult to find and maintain work. If I were to be unemployed, I would need a great deal of emotional and financial support from my friends and family. Because I live where I work, I would also need a place to live. I feel that I would be able to obtain this support easily because of the wonderful people I have in my life. I have family in New York and Connecticut, as well as some friends, that would take me into their home without a second thought, (as they have in the past when I’ve needed them). I also know that I could rely on my family for some financial support, and I could look to a few of my friends with their own businesses for short term work. This challenge would affect my daily existence in every aspect; I would be without home, money and mental challenge. Receiving support would be imperative to my very survival of this situation. The benefits of this support, is that I would feel nurtured and taken care of in a time of need.
If I did not have the support that I am so blessed with, I would struggle a great deal. If I existed without these supports and in the challenge of being unemployed, I would be homeless, without money, and in a poor emotional state. Thankfully, I don’t think I will ever have to know what it feels like to go through a challenge without support.
