on taking chances

I interviewed for a new job today. One that I think *might* be my dream job. Up until last night I was torn, not sure if I wanted to step outside the comfort zone that is the four walls of my classroom and embrace the chance of trying something new. I woke up this morning feeling ready. Ready for something new, ready to take a leap of faith. There were some nervous jitters all morning, but stepping into that interview and answering those questions I felt a sense of calm, a sense of reassurance that I was doing the right thing. I answered honestly and from the heart, and while my answers may not have been "textbook", they were 100% true to who I am. Y'all, I even started tearing up during one of my answers - definitely not what I had planned {but I guess it helped showcase the point I was trying to make about being passionate.} I left the interview feeling like I rocked it. Who knows if I really did or not, but one thing I know is that I felt a whole new sense of purpose and dedication to my job after I was done. Just talking about how much I love what I do and WHY I do what I do made me realize just how special this job I've been called to do is. It's easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day, but this opportunity to step back and examine what I do from a new perspective was the breath of fresh air that I needed. There were plenty of other qualified candidates who interviewed for the job today, many of whom I consider friends. The question of why I'm a better candidate than them was a tough one. Am I truly a better candidate? We've all got our strengths, and whoever ends up getting the job is going to do amazing things with it. But what makes me stand out? Well I said that it's my passion {cue the near tears encounter}. My passion for these kiddos, but also my passion for these families. To make sure that they know that school is a safe place, a happy place, a place where their child is going to be loved for just who they are and encouraged to grow and blossom into someone amazing. Regardless of the outcome, today was a wonderful day of growth and reflection.