"How are you?" Someone cared to ask as I sank into the couch with a sigh of disgust.

"What's the matter?" She listened as I began, “Finals are making me question everything in life. We're supposed to study and remember Every Single Thing, and do well on a test, and then what? And what for? I want to be a teacher, but I hate this testing culture, I don't know if I feel comfortable being a part of something that puts so much stress on kids…"

"I started thinking the same thing in my intro to school counseling class. And I came across this quote one day that said, I can't remember exactly, but it basically asked if you aren't going to do the hard work, who is? If you don't go into the education system just because it has problems, someone's going to get your job who's not as good as you."

Among the same education system responsible for a finals week of stress and heartache was a kind para-educator reminding me why I got involved in the first place, and why I should stay that way. For my renewed hope on that particular day, I have Amanda Hansen to thank. For similar endings to other bad days, I have a village to thank. I have myself as well - I can turn bad days around by myself - but where exactly did I learn that?

At school we learn what is wrong with this world, yet where do we find the people we can trust to teach us how to look at it? Who is there to help us try to fix something so much larger than ourselves? Who gives us a hand to hold when, after we fail, we wake up on another morning and try again?