Realtionship Reflection

I am now and have always been single.

I am not a parent.

I live literally half way around the world from my family.

This good grounds for a reflection on commitment to relationship.

My sister is the most important relationship I have. Even though we are separated by space, I remain aware of how she is and the events in her life. It is essential for me to keep that line open via available phone, travel home and encouraging her visit here. I am pretty certain I would do anything to maintain this relationship.  

Then next most important relationship would be my friend, colleague,principal and her family. We are an unlikely twosome who acquainted as ESL teachers in GaungZhou. We bonded as neighbors next then over a conflict beyond our control and finally to her inviting me to Beijing to teach in her school. I am old enough to be her mother, we do not share countries of origin, she has the whole family package: husband, son, daughter, son, mother and father, etc; she has and maintains many friendships, she is adventuresome and has learned to speak both Cantonese and Mandarin. Totally opposite

Daily I wonder why we are friends. But we are. I absolutely know that she would always have my back and I am quite certain she knows that of me. As much as this relationship is undeserved, I cherish it and work hard to maintain and enrich it.

I belong to a large international church here. I have relationships in the Sunday School and a small group. These so far are more connected to what I can do or supply. These relationships could be severed by moving  as so often happens here.

School relationships
Colleagues
These challenge, encourage and hold me accountable. I respect and work to keep these receptive, friendly, respectful and honoring. These relationships are essential to the quality and furthering my job as an early child educator.   Since starting this Masters, these have helped me keep a realistic balance between the ideal and the reality.

Families
Because I am the first educator of their child and they entrust me with the care of their most precious person, this relationship is more service grounded. These will end as they leave Beijing and even when the children graduate to the next class. These are important and I strive to keep communication honest and open but only on a professional level.

Then there are my relationship with the employees at the Starbucks I frequent who keep my caffeine at necessary levels. They welcome me by name and however shallow, in this huge, foreign city it means something to be recognized as an individual out of the masses.
Then there is my computer guy, Charley. He has been my life line more than once especially since starting this course. He probably has no idea why I would even consider such a venture considering my technical ineptitude. However he continues to answer my calls and rescue me from yet the latest crisis.