Meanwhile… 067
Meanwhile… 067
I’ve known since drawing the first panel of this what I needed and wanted it to be about, but the words and sentiment were hard to actually dredge up… until life pushed the point with me and forced my hand - or “our hand” I should say, given the duality of this character in question.
This comic’s about the whole conversation around that question of “Are you okay?” and how it’s often something we don’t ask of ourselves, especially when we need to. Sometimes that’s down to emotional avoidance, sometimes it’s simply that with all the rigmarole of simply “living” we don’t or can’t afford ourselves that pause to take the time to ask ourselves if we’re okay.
The question is certainly always there in everything you feel, do and contend with… but taking a breath to offer yourself a reply to that question, that’s not easy to do if you don’t have the time, space and liberty to afford yourself that moment of reflection.
Since writing the last instalment of this comic, I’ve had to give myself that time to ask if I’m okay, and I’m not - but I will be. And part of taking that time to ask myself that question of being okay and listening to the answer within myself has meant - for me - walking away from a job as an Early Years Educator that I’ve loved, adored and taken pride in for many years.
I’ll very much miss the children I’ve worked with and for and made wonderful connections with, but I’ve met with other elements within the profession that, as an Autistic, I’ve recently found challenging - enough so for me to decide it best to walk away for the time-being.
Will I return to teaching in Early Years again? I don’t know. Time will tell. And for me, as I write this, time begins with that moment when I’ve had to pause, breathe, look within myself to ask if I’m okay.
I’m not okay at the moment, but I will be.
Because I took that much needed moment.
It’s a moment we should all offer ourselves when we can.
Your time is yours. Use it well. Use it wisely.
Use it to be kind to yourself when you can.
-::-::-::-
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