Tammie Ciccarelli

Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to wash some else’s dishes?  I have.  It’s also easier to change diapers and soothe crying babies that aren’t yours.  I always thought that it was because I had a choice.  But when I think about it, I have a choice as to whether or not I wash my dishes and that doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy about it.  So what is it?  Yesterday I left school thinking I’m going to get here earlier and get a head start on this project some colleagues and I are working on so that they don’t have to worry with it and they have a chance at a better day.  No, I don’t think it is because I don’t have to, I think it’s because God designed us this way.  He made us to feel good when we serve others, to feel good when we go out of our way to help someone.  Why?  Because it’s His nature, to create beings that love and serve each other, to give them pleasure when they do.  Perhaps that’s why some of the things we wind up doing for ourselves feel so flat.

I’ve been at Trinity for ten years this month. During that time I’ve seen a lot of change. I can remember when the technology lab was a 15×20 concrete room in which the computers faced the walls, the building was a  dull shade of gray and those concrete walls leaked when it rained.  I also remember that it was easier to stay in touch and I saw just about everyone everyday in the smaller space.  We’ve certainly made a lot of changes and progress since I started here.

One of this years progressions is the move to a new progress report system.  With the new system all student data is in one place and we’re able to produce a very professional end product.  As with all progress the new system has required extra work and change on many levels.  Both physically and emotionally.  Our teachers have spent the last few weeks using a new system, sometimes learning by trial and error.  As one of the people responsible for moving the data from input to output I’ve enjoyed seeing teachers liberated from the old 2×2 comment ‘box’.  There’s nothing harder than trying to condence four passionate paragraphs into two.

Since all change creates stress I’ve included a link to some stress busters that I hope you will find enjoyable.

Tonight I attended a farewell get together for Nigel.  There was a huge turnout.  As I looked around at all the different people from different areas of the school I realized that it was a huge testimony to who Nigel is.  He’s a warm, compassionate individual with an empathetic ear and reassuring encouragement.  I can remember more than a few times when Nigel just listened and reassured me about something that was bothering me.  The world needs more people like Nigel, people who put people at the center of all they do.  Gentlemen who act with dignity and honor in all they do.  He will be greatly missed at Trinity; I know I’ll miss his humor, warm smile and tender heart.  Wherever life takes him Nigel will always be ministering to the hearts of people.  I can’t think of a higher calling.

Human tendency is to look at something and make a snap decision.  Have you ever experimented with any optical illusions?  If you’d like to look at some here is a link to a great page on Wikipedia.

My favorite one is the Lilac Chaser.  Which one did you like the best?  What do you think optical illusions have to do with seeing or perceiving? 

I remember vividly working as a department accountant many years ago and the frustration I felt with my superiors preceived easy life.  Quite often when I have to make an administrator decision I chide myself about how naive I was.  And yet I’m sure there are still times when I peep over the fence believing I know exactly what it’s like on the other side.  I continue to encounter many instances in which I’m forced to revise my perception of the world around me and more importantly the people in the world around me.