Winter 2026 - The Big Ideas of Life by Lori

Travel Agent

lswackha — 2024-06-28 22:50:20 UTC

As I started booking flights (many) and places to stay, my mind kept wondering if I had all the right puzzle pieces in place - our biggest trips thus far were cruises - which my MIL booked.

Having little experience taking care of every detail planning a trip, I was determined that I could do this without a travel agent. =)

When travelling there will always be 'something', but having an understanding that this 'something' is part of the adventure, just adds to your great story!

The most incredible Mediterranean Sea was one of our stops (the picture above).

~Lori

#1 Aunt

2025-02-10 14:34:45 UTC

When my sister had her baby (5 years ago), my niece was diagnosed with PKU which is a metabolic disorder where she can only consume a very small amount of protein daily. When this journey first began, we were all worried and stressed about how to navigate her having PKU and being on a combination for 4-5 different formulas everyday. As a very involved aunt, I persisted by learning a little bit each day and doing my research to figure out how I can best support my sister, my niece, and their family!

Day Trader

2025-02-10 15:57:37 UTC

During the pandemic, I felt a bit lost as, to me, my identity was centered with being a teacher. With schools shut down, I needed to find something to occupy my time and started to learn more about the stock market and do some investing. I realized that although I am a teacher, that is only one part of who I am.

Things you don't want to learn!

2025-02-10 16:47:05 UTC

I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and within a few weeks it took over my life (2 surgeries, chemo, and radiation), I am cancer free, but it helped me learn A LOT! It was a numbing feeling and scary to engulf yourself in a new world that you had no experience in. Not only did I learn about a disease that was just something I heard about in movies, I also learned about the power of language. I heard so many people say so many of the wrong things ("You're the cancer girl right?")! It made very conscious of the words I chose to use when I talked about what people 'looked like'. Someone has lost weight? That could be due to illness or depression. Short hair? That could be due to loss from chemo or alopecia. I basically just learned the only physical compliment that I wanted to give someone was "You look strong" or "You look happy".

Campsite Bookings

2025-02-10 19:20:02 UTC

I know this is not some big, life changing event, but it's something that I've recently learned how to do, and it sure has been a process! I've recently developed a travel bug, but not one that takes me around the world, one that has me exploring this beautiful country we live in. Booking campsites is quite the learning curve, and when I had to book my first campsite I'm pretty sure it took me upwards of an hour and a half. Once I finally had a grasp on how to book a campsite, I realized it was a different process for provincial campsites and had to go through that process too. I knew it was going to be an incredible experience though, and now, with my knew learning, I am looking forward to a summer exploring the maritime provinces!

401 highway

2025-02-11 00:07:54 UTC

When I went back to teachers collage I had to learn how to drive the 401 to get to Buffalo. I was so scared and I have a phobia of bridges but I wanted to go to school more! I learned that you just need to take one step and you don't have to do the whole journey at once!! Connie :)

Celiac Disease

2025-02-11 01:09:12 UTC

The thing that I have recently learned about is Celiac Disease-my 6 year old is in the process of being diagnosed. As we navigate this whole new world I am learning so much about a disease I knew little about. It feels overwhelming and impossible as my son is a picky eater to begin with, but hopefully with time things will get better.

Finding out the WHAT before asking the WHY!

2025-02-11 02:09:35 UTC

I recently read a book called What Happened to You? by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry. The book is a conversation between the two about the impact of trauma and adverse experiences (I highly recommend giving it a read if you haven't). It teaches you to focus on what happened to someone to cause the behaviour they exhibit rather than the "why" or asking someone, what's wrong with you?. It has helped me to accept, but also understand the anxiety myself and my older daughter both suffer from. It has also helped me to take a step back and be more conscious when dealing with a student who shows signs of behaviour or signs of struggle or lack of motivation. -Kelsi

Parenting 101

2025-02-11 02:44:15 UTC

Learning how to be a parent vs how to be a teacher has been a big learning curve for me and really the first big something I've had to learn outside of work since university! It probably seems a little cliche but it has really changed my perspective (big idea) inside of teaching as well, especially how I relate to the parents of my students. I can empathize a lot easier.

How did I feel when I first began- scared. My daughter was born right in the middle of the pandemic (Jan 2021) and even beyond the first round of learning how to care for a baby it was things like wearing masks and gowns, the dangers of taking her to the doctors office and potentially exposing her to the virus, and whether my husband would even be allowed in the hospital with me to deliver!

But we persist through the lows and enjoy the highs because everything is a season, whether good or bad and you can't have the good without the bad. Just not how life works.

Mental Health

2025-02-11 20:43:32 UTC

I learned a lot about a mental health journey and helping my son when he was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

I think I learned a lot about myself too.

It was not an easy time, but I wouldn't trade it for the world - and it definitely helped me bring some useful skills into my classroom.

Rediscovering my WHY

2025-02-12 17:33:41 UTC

In the past 2 years I have been on a journey of rediscovering my "teaching why" which translated into both the classroom and my personal life. I've been on this journey since suffering the loss of a student in my class which affected me in more ways than I ever expected. When I first began I felt defeated, sadness, loss and confusion. My students, family, son, and friends have made me persist as well as my absolute love for the job. It hasn't been easy and I know that it will take more work; however, by taking the step back and supply teaching, I have given myself the time to grieve, process and rediscover my "why" at my own pace. Thankfully, I feel that I am now in a place where I can put my full self back into my own classroom and have a wonderful work/life balance :-)

Taking A Stand

2025-02-13 15:53:16 UTC

As a friend once put: "Your life sounds hard". I was raised in not the best circumstances, my family was a mess and I was struggling at school. I was bullied relentlessly and that only ended because said bully kicked my face in. She felt no remorse and was suspended. The only bonus from this situation was that my parents finally realized I wasn't lying and pulled me to another school. Usually when I tell this story, people ask me why did I still become a teacher? To me, the answer is simple: I want to be the adult, that I didn't have. I didn't have someone cheering me on and in fact my parents still dislike that I'm a teacher. But, this was my first opportunity in taking a stand. I want to stand up for those who don't have a cheerleader, those who notice there's probably no food at home and gives the child some food. I want so badly to help a fellow human and let them know it doesn't have to be like this and it will change eventually. Recently, I have discovered that I was so wound up in this goal that I wasn't taking the best care of myself. I shared this with a friend and she did what so many others didn't: She offered to let me be her 'Gym Buddy' and we've been going nearly daily since January 6th. It's been hard at first, but I am finding that I am enjoying this new challenge and having a buddy really does help keep me motivated! It's important to take a stand for yourself and others.

Cystic Fibrosis

2025-02-13 17:07:50 UTC

When I first started learning how to manage my daughter's cystic fibrosis, it was a lot to take on and felt really uncertain. But what pushed me through was the incredible love I have for her and the realization that her health had to be my top priority. Through that, I found that when you focus on well-being, the smaller challenges seem to fade into the background. And in the midst of it all, the Make-a-Wish experience reminded me of the power of hope and joy, showing me how moments of light can make all the difference when life feels heavy.