A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Teachers went back to school last week to get ready for a new year. I teach at a small charter school that is not immune to the many challenges facing education right now.

Finding teachers was hard last year and even harder this year. This resulted in some hard decisions for our school. People were not happy.

Then we received our rating from the state based on our test scores last year. Not surprisingly, they were the lowest they had been in many years. More people were not happy.

I was pretty discouraged as I pulled into the driveway on Friday afternoon.

Then I saw our amaryllis.

We have been in a record-breaking drought this summer causing many plants to give up and die. Part of this amaryllis did just that.

Then there is the bunch of flowers that bloomed despite all the challenges. They seemed blissfully unaware of the brown all around them and showed their colors proudly.

I was inspired.

If a nonscientient plant can produce color amidst all the brown around it, I certainly can proudly display my courage to face a new year. Even if those around me seem overcome by the drought, I can continue to bloom.

Maybe others will be inspired, too.