Level Two. I Think I Can.
Level Two. I Think I Can.
By Michelle Lloyd.
Reindeers could be extremely exotic and not in an environmental way. Reindeers, of the variety that focus on seasonal objectives, like the logistic of getting carefully prepared presents to the right destinations and flying in an orderly formation, were not all that ordinary themselves.
Family was a part of the Reindeer’s way of life and understanding about the many lessons that the subject could bring with it, meant they each in turn learnt that being able to support those who mattered most was absolutely the glue that kept them all together.
Being able to rely on each other was the difference between thriving or simply surviving. One of the youngest reindeer was a whiz at many subjects and he always tried really hard but lately he had found that his attention had wandered a bit. Usually he didn’t like to say no. He made it a rule to try to make the lives of all his friends, family and people he encountered, a lot easier.
The reindeer’s mum had always told him that it was a positive thing to do whatever you could for someone else. She explained to him from quite early on in his life that he could achieve almost anything, as long as he put his mind to it and that if he could help others then that was something he should try to do.
At home and at trainee school, this reindeer had set out with his mother’s philosophy in his heart, he would be there for every one of his friends, whenever he could. It was that over time this little reindeer became a tad OTT in his following his mother’s wise words, for he developed a Yes, I can attitude to almost every scenario and situation.
It got to the point whereby he would get nervous about turning anyone down for fear of disappointment and it had to be said there was a funny feeling that often overcame the reindeer in trepidation of having to refuse anything. He loved to please people and so when anyone would ask him if he could go and do this, or go and do that… his answer would be a Yes, I Think I can and not a No, I can Not.
At first the reindeer coped. He did all he could for those around him, he managed to tackle his friends’ work and his own. After time, it started to get a bit more difficult, at school the work load increased and as it did so his reply of Yes, I can became more and more frequent.
At home the reindeer’s mum noticed he did not look himself, he was studying such a lot in his own time because he had less opportunity at school but when she asked him if he was ok and if he was managing, he did not want to worry her and so his response was a Yes, he was ok and Yes he could do it all.
The lovely little reindeer had so many commitments, he thought about saying no but every time someone would approach him with a request for him to show them how to do their assignments he felt himself give in and out he would be with the Yes, I can.
Unbeknown to him, the little reindeer’s classmates would not give up on their friend and even though he did not know it, their conversations about what they could do for him had given them an idea.
After everyone had left, the reindeer was given a knowing, reassuring smile and told by his teacher that two of his friends had been concerned about him and the amount he was doing for others. The teacher had talked to his mum and no soon as this was said that the reindeer was relieved to see that she had arrived at school. It was with his mum on one side and his teacher in front they talked to the little reindeer about how he should never take on too much, they commended his Yes, I can attitude but they also explained that one had to also look after themselves if they wanted to be able to look after those around them.