Alaa Awamleh (alaa_awamleh)

I recall a conversation I had with an esteemed colleague in my first career as a teacher in a middle school. It had been a particularly hectic day. To regain my sanity, I self-declared a midday tea break at a nearby coffee shop where, in the company of this wise old gentleman who had seen his share of good and bad days, I poured out my complaints. Sipping a comforting cup of tea, I lamented how stressful life had become - students were having a tough time managing pressures from home, school, themselves, peers, and so on. I was suffering from the anxiety of having to cater to this diverse group of 'clients'.