The late-slip

From the 14th of February:

There is this new phenomenon going on here in school: The late-slip.

I probably haven’t been there when it got announced in staff briefing on Monday due to my day off and sleeping in for ages, but students here are very sensitive with new rules hence reminding every teacher that they should be enforced.

So I guess the procedures is: Come late for class, get a late-slip and then get whatever is the consequence of that.

I have to admit that what I could do with these slips would be starting a collection, rolling them up and then braid a rug with them, repapering all the walls of my apartment…

I’m not exactly the most in time person, probably way closer to the least in time one. I do not like it, however all attempts of changing have failed so far.

I got the “always-late” award in a class of 150 students. Not exactly something to put in the next job application or “accomplishments in life” lists- but hey at least it wasn’t the “person most likely to end up in jail” award ; )

What I really wanted to write about is, what came to my mind when I heard the word for approximately the 25^th time of the day just randomly blurt out in my direction:

I know my time here is very short, just 17 weeks, it feels like rushing by.

There’s a lot of things I still haven’t accomplished or haven’t done sufficiently, things I haven’t said yet, conversations I haven’t had,…

I don’t want to get a late-slip. I don’t want to go home with the aching feeling of disappointment that I could have done much more with my time, my strength, my words.

I don’t want to find out a late-slip has been signed for this period of time.

I might be late on a lot of occasions but I do not want to miss the important things in life. Spending time with my girls here, pra-ing with them, talking to them, challenging them,…

Encouraging people, spreading Dad’s love.

I don’t want to miss out on anything he might have had intended for me, his works he has prepared in advance for me to do.

I don’t want to miss out on opportunities because I spend more time thinking about myself than about others.

No more late-slips!

Teach me, Dad, to not miss out on doing the things that matter to you and eternity.

Teach me, Dad, to number my days, so that I might gain a heart of wisdom!

Please lift me up in this endeavor! So that I might make the most of every opportunity and serve him in the best way I can with a passion for the people in this school!