Birthday doesn't mean to have a grand celebration. Being with loveones is enough. -Teacher Jeff

I never had a chance to celebrate my birthday with lots of foods. My mom had just bought me a chiffon cake with no designs but I able to appreciate all of her effort. Now that she's gone for 3 years, been missing those days that she's still alive. Still, I am grateful I have my wife and our son coz they're now the one who completes my day during such special day. So, last Nov.24 was my birthday and I can say I thanked God for everything he given to me and my family.

I and my wife planned to throw a simple celebration together with our co-teacher in school. Usually, it's the kind of tradition in our science and math department to throw a simple celebration for the celebrant that's why we had planned to buy pancit and other foods. Not that many but enough to make us all full. And I thought we won't able to celebrate because we were so busy that day, the reason we decided to celebrate around 4pm. We invited some friends and glad they went.

We ate and talk with regards to our students. And also, they give me and my wife good wishes and since some of them are older with us, they able to give us some advice about parenting and marriage. Because they're older than us, they share their experiences in marriage and in school. About the marriage, I and my wife were amazed about their stories and when it comes to school responsibilities, we didn't knew that they also had deep experiences that made my wife cringe and seems afraid with our profession now. When we heard that there are students now who are aggressive and don't respect teachers anymore. And about the parents also who seems don't mind with their children inside the school like their responsibility were just about sending them to school and rely on teachers even the disciplining behaviors.

I can say that I've learn a lot during my birthday. It's like that it's the time when my co-teachers have time to talk to each other and free their emotions and stress in school. I am just thankful also coz I didn't experienced yet what they had and hopefully won't experience such bad things in the future.

What I prayed during my birthday?

All I prayed is that same with my co-teachers, I and my wife will able to conquer hardships in life together. I mean, we're bow in the verge of having a hard time with our lives as both of us are still reaching our goals. Thoughw e had reached some of our goals in life together, still there's a lot in our bucket list.

Same with my co-teachers who had experienced trials when they're started, they able to be in successful life now. They went through alot but then all of their efforts and sacrifices were worth it now. Hopefully, I and my wife also can make it. For now, we don't have enough for treating our co-teachers food in the table, but we're still grateful enough for having a blessing in our daily lives especially health.

I wish my students to see the essence of education. I do hope that they put in mind how important education is to their lives. Not just going to school but to learn in school. And I do hope for chainging of attitudes and behaviors of students into good.

I also wish for my co-teachers for more patience and love for the studnets. I hope they able to still love teaching despite the fact of hardships we went through everyday may it be discussing with students or passing with paper works.

I have lots of birthday wishes not only for myself but for my little family and my siblings. All I prayed is to achieve all my goals for them. That I will able to make them proud for having me as their family. I don't want to let down my wife with what I am capable of. Hopefully, she'll hold unto me until I able to reach my goals in life.

I'm thankful of,

I'm thankful with those people who love me especially my little family whom I know will be there for me in ups and downs. I'm thankful for them for giving me strength to fight for our future. Even if sometimes I felt so exhausted with everything, yet because of them I am eager to stand strong and finsih what I've started. They're the one I can lean on everytime I'm weak, so grateful having thme in my life since day one that they came.

I'm also thankful to my co-teachers for having patience with me in teaching me of what to do as a teacher. Imparting their experiences and experties helped me a lot of how to be a good and effective teacher to my students. With their help also, I able to enlightened and encourage my wife to continue with what we have now as teachers.

Thankful also with my students. Aside that I am teaching them, they also teach me every day. The values and patience in me grows because of them. Handling them were hard but I able to know what I am capable of as a person not just a teacher.

Above all, I'm thankful to God for always being there for me and my family. I may not be a good and perfect perosn but He's always their for me to guide and provide my needs especially my family's needs. Everything I have now is because of Him and I owe it everything to Him.

--> Teacher Jeff 🧑‍🏫