You've heard it before: "Good for you!" Sometimes it can be spoken with a sarcastic tone and sometimes the person saying it to you is being completely and genuinely sincere. I get this a lot with my intended major and education route I'm taking.
Not only am I studying to become an educator, but more specifically, a teacher of English. Being a teacher in the US doesn't get you much money, to be honest, and I think that may be why people aren't as excited for me when I tell them my future goals.
Of course, my previous teachers and educators are ecstatic. (When you tell one of your former English teachers how much you like grammar, they tend to get a little excited that you're following in their footsteps). They've always been huge encouragers and some of the best advice givers and I thank them for that.
Without realizing, teachers have always been one of the most influential people in my life. From the time I was three-years-old to now and beyond, teachers have been there. Second to my parents, they taught me, they guided me, and they helped me. What's more rewarding than making a difference in children's lives? Children are our legacy because after we die, what's left of us?- our children.
Thank you teachers, professors, and educators everywhere. Thank you for giving us, your students, the extra push we need to get where you know our potential can take us. Your contributions to our lives, communities, and society will never fade but grow with each student and educator to come.
So... yes, good for me. I will never take the phrase, "good for you," as offensive whether sarcastic or not because it is good for me. It's good for my future students. It's good for my future children and every child's life I get to touch in the near or distant future. It may not be everyone's high salary paying, dream job but it's my newfound passion. I've always been confident in my ability to care for children and if I get to add to their knowledge and educational experience, then I say, good for me.