Hell No!

A little fire, a little laughter, and the push through needed — because your Saturday’s worth it.

Now many would ask why I still do the job that I do in light of all the lack it brings. And I really, don’t blame them. I, Myself and Me have those discussions too. So there!

However, there is a little known benefit that my job brings, you see. It keeps the real reality real. Want to know what I mean?

Well, this week, during the lunchtime hub-bub, as I sat in the classroom marking, as per usual, a lovely little person with wonderful marble brown eyes came up to shoulder and purred.

“Missss,” she said.

I looked up and smiled, “Yeeess.”

She hesitated then tentatively purred again as she moved in closer. “Miss, I don’t feel up to it.”

“You don’t feel up to it?”

She nodded.

“You don’t feel up to what?”

“Uhm, I don’t really feel up to school today.”

“oooOOOoo.”

“Miss, I have been trying really hard all morning,” she hastily assured me, “but, … but… But.”

“Awwww, I quite understand,” I replied as I gently rubbed her arm. Yes, that very day, I quite understood. I felt behind on a number of deadlines and responsibilities plus I had just gotten the news that my friends lost their baby girl while giving birth. Such news is jarring, to say the least.

The child and I hung there in the reality of the moment. We paused to feel the feeling. But, I knew we couldn’t stay there. I searched for what to say.

“I have been really trying hard all morning too. It’s hard, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Miss,” she nodded.

“The thing is, if we don’t do it today then…” She looked at me with a sort of quizzical suspense. I continued, “… You see, if we don’t do today we have to do it on Saturday.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we have to do the important things another day. So, would you like us to come back to school on Saturday?”

“Saturday? HELL NO!”

The child’s reaction turned me into Miss Muffet- I nearly fell off my chair! After I found my balance I looked at the precious princess who found some fire. Now I was the quizzical one.

She said, “Miss, I am not coming back on Saturday to do this again! Let’s get through today then, Miss.”

Essentially I saluted and she stomped off.

I dared not giggle till later that day. When she got to her seat, our eyes made four and I nodded. We had an understanding between us. Neither of us wanted to lose our Saturday. Some way somehow we were going to push through till later. And some way somehow throughout the day, each of us gave the other the secret glance to nudge the other to the end.

It’s truly amazing! This amusing experience became my super power. It got us beyond the frumps and it helped us to celebrate our Saturday and other days.

So, the next time you feel the weight of the day—the deadlines, the loss, the sheer I-don't-feel-up-to-it feeling — remember the princess and her fire. Give yourself a purr, a compassionate pause, and a proper reality check. Then, repeat the secret mantra or "HELL NO" moment, and get the very important things done today. Your Saturday depends on it.