Should I Say Something? by Rambling Raven
 
Well, it is back to school for me. I started on August 4, and the students will begin August 9. It was a short vacation, but I can’t complain. I am grateful that I had the time off to visit with my family. My father is recovering from a series of strokes. I made sure I got the chance to let him know how much I love and appreciate him. We went out to dinner, we had walks along the lake front, and most importantly we talked. My father can no longer hold the conversations he use to have. He stutters a lot, and it takes several minutes for him to think and verbalize what he wants to say. Although it takes patience to have a conversation with my father, I treasured every moment that I did. I am thankful to God that he actually survived those strokes and with time and therapy he will regain some of what he has lost.
 
My father struggles with communication is due to a disability. I see the frustration on his face every time he has to hunt around his brain for the correct words to use. My father’s recent health issues have made me reflective upon how frustrating and difficult it is for us to communicate with others regardless if we have a disability or not.
 
I have a co-worker who I liked. She loves to read as much as I do. She even has a gazillion and one books, just like me. It was our shared interest in reading that drew me to her. We began to trade books and book-lists. Over the past several years we have communicated very well with one another. We even had plans to workout together.
 
Last school year our school obtained a new principal. My co-worker has been vocal about how much she dislikes the new principal. Now, I also had issues with the new administration but basically I kept it to myself. Once the new principal calmed down and began to understand that it took a team to run a school, she became easier to work with. Never one to hold a grudge and always willing to give people the benefit of a doubt, I started to work with the principal and her team. My concern was for the school and not for obtaining any social status with the new administration.
 
Since, I have joined teams and begun to work on committees, my co-worker has grown cold towards me. She was invited to sit in on a meeting regarding school improvement. The principal wanted to show her that the school was in trouble and regardless of any personal issues we had to work together for the greater good. In the meeting we all talked openly and honestly about what we saw as problem areas. My co-worker seemed to be on board with all that was said. She even came up with possible solutions of her own. After that meeting my co-worker stopped being friendly towards me. Saying hello seems like an effort now. I have re-examined and re-examined my actions and words at that meeting, and I can not see where anything I said would have been an issue.
 
I wanted so desperately to go to this co-worker and ask what the problem was. Yet, I could never seem to find the correct words to say what I wanted to say. And since I don’t take kindly to being snubbed, I didn’t want to make a bad situation worse . Besides, I knew that this co-worker could be “messy” in terms of things said to and about others. Therefore, I am kicking myself that I even formed a friendship with her. So for several weeks I chose to ignore the snub. I said nothing and pretended that it was not an issue with me. Now, here we are ready to begin a new year. I am anxious and excited about the upcoming year. There are so many things I want to do and implemented inside and outside of the classroom. I am ready.

The first day back, I say this co-worker and the attitude was still a bit chilly. I don’t know what I did or said to her. I am angry that as grown as we are she has never come to me and discussed what may have offended her. I am angry with myself that I wasn’t grown up enough to go to her and confront the issue. On one hand I tell myself that the whole affair is petty and I don’t need toxic people in my life anyway. On the other hand there is still a part of me that wants to say something.
 
So should I let this all become water under the bridge and move on or should I say something?

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