Lazy...I Think Not...

One of the many random thoughts that popped into my head, was this-one of my high school  teachers called me lazy one day. I don't know why this sticks with me to this day. No one now, that I work with, would call me lazy, truly, I don't think that teacher knew me well. I also should have reported him to the principal when it happened, although then I didn't know the systems as well as I do now. Teachers should not be able to say things like that.
How could he call me lazy?

Me, who had a job at fourteen.
Me, who turned in ALL my homework in on time, yes, in his class.
Me, who went to all the home football games.
Me, who made it into Concert Chorale.
Me who got "2" ratings at solo contest, 3 points away from a "1", and why, my right hand.
Me, who did dance committees.
Me, who was the co-president of the gay-straight alliance at my high school, sophomore year.
Me, who dealt with finding out about my grandmother's murder via a newspaper clipping at age 12.
Me,  who listened to my parents fighting.
Me, who wondered when my father would finally crack.
Me, feeling uncontrollable worry.
Me, who worried about what others would think, when my clothing& coats smelled like smoke.
Me, feeling depressed from all the fighting.
Me who studied  hard to maintain at least a 3.0 gpa.
Me, who had a brother with a 4.0 gpa.
Me, who never felt normal.
Me, who was called ugly, by someone I once cared for.
Me who was beaten by two boys in middle school.

But lazy, really? I think not.
I know I'm 26 years old.
I know I graduated from ISU a semester early.
I know I now have a 3.56 gpa.
I know that if I maintain my grades, I'll graduate with honors.
I know I love where I work.
I know I sing as loud as I can in my car, when I think no one can see, with my windows up.
I know I get my homework done on time.
I know that my clothes don't smell like smoke.
I know I'll never be normal, who wants to?
I know I'm beautiful, inside and out.
I know I'm in control of those thoughts that worry me.
I know I have a life worth living.
I know I have homework I should be working on right now.
I know I need to use coping skills like blogging, when I have a thought like this.
I know to take care of myself first, worry about others opinions never.
I know I'm not lazy.

My point is this, teachers should not call their students lazy. It just labels them, not motivate them, and overall hurts your relationship with your other students too. Also don't call your students lazy, you have NO idea what's going on in their lives, how dare someone have called me lazy back then. Even more so, how dare they call me lazy now. Lindsay is just not synonymous with lazy, procrastinate-because I'd end up back at Mary Greeley again, yes, if that's how you see it. I see it as taking care of myself first, life happens-deal with it teachers, the world does not revolve around you.