Spring - a time of rebirth, of sprouting greenery, of fresh new attitudes after a long, dark, chilly winter. Even the air carries a mix of earthy scents teased by the freshness of approaching rain. And then I go inside, and am greeted by a dank, lost-in-limbo lingering of not so fragrant air. Why can’t that harbinger of newness greet my senses everywhere and always? Perhaps Mother Nature can use a kick in her proverbial bud?
Fortunately, a treasure box of scents awaits- I open the repurposed cigar box filled with bottles of essential oils and concoct a springy blend to diffuse into the air. Some orange, some lime, some spring is in the air!
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I see you-
Long overdue This feeling of relief From the stiffness And aches. This sense of calm Tranquility Order Delivers a welcoming Warmth. Why did I wander Away for so long? Why did I leave the Strength and silence That spills into body and soul? I’m back Back to my mat. The allure of that K -cup
You know… The one that’s been bustling beneath Your lunch at the bottom of your lunchbag All week. The call of that K-cup You know… The one you have packed precisely As an emergency pick-me-up For any given day. The call of that K-cup You know… The one you so adoringly appreciate As you take that satisfying sip Of inspiration for the afternoon. “How am I going to keep my sanity and get everything done?” says every teacher ever. We’ve all been there- live there- and still we keep on keeping on. A particular time I am recalling here was long before Covid, long before students could log-in with a Clever badge. It was perhaps a dozen years ago or so, when I was assigned to the junior high. My first priority was to tame (and I say this with love and respect) the junior high beast, learn to navigate the halls during passing periods, and practice dissolving power struggles or better yet, avoiding their “birth” altogether.
As in any educational position, there were so many responsibilities. Making sure specific students were entered in Rosetta Stone or Lexia, keeping their English Language records in order, planning for instruction that matched their abilities, etc. etc. I needed a way to compartmentalize all that, and take care of myself. I found Sunday nights especially blue, because I knew I’d be starting another week on the hamster wheel of to-dos outside of the teaching. And then- voila! Ladies and gentlemen- my alliterated guide to sanity was born: Me Mondays (teach my heart out, but after school, it’s all about me!) Tech Tuesdays (anything specific to tech was put on the Tuesday list) WIDA Wednesdays (for those who don’t know - WIDA is EL everything so any state related reports were slotted for midweek) Thinking Thursdays (time to ponder which way to go with each class period would go the following week- occasionally referred to as Thirsty Thursday as well-per my then college aged daughter’s suggestion) Fridays carried their own joy, so they were not assigned a specific task. Not all of these still ring true. Tech needs to be addressed always- it is the norm. WIDA has assimilated into an as needed area to visit. But oh those Me Mondays- they are alive and well! Self- care is trendy ya know! \ Everybody needs a cheerleader- am I right? The need for praise and support is innate. We perk up at a complement, we feel confident when supported and take risks when we feel safe, strong, and appreciated. And sometimes, that support and encouragement comes from ourselves. It gets our mind in the right place. I’m noodling over this because of an exchange with third graders today.
Since I am a resource teacher, I see students on their home days, even if they are hybrid attenders. One group receives support twice a day. In order to organize myself and in turn, their learning, I designated different objectives for the first meeting of the day versus the second. We definitely needed a clarifying, yet fun, start to each session. Thus, the Word Birds (vocabulary time) and the Smarties (focusing on comprehension and illustrated with an image of the candy by the same name) came to be. I created cute little graphics and a cheer for each group and for some time now, we kick off each session with the appropriate cheer. I felt just a wee bit poorly about it all, since I did not follow best practice and have them generate their own group name nor create a cheer together, but “ in these unprecedented times” ... “We are the Word Birds. The mighty, mighty Word Birds! Le-e-et’s fly!” is how we kick off one of our Meets. I’ll spare you the stanza we recite for Smarties time. This morning, feeling rather Monday-ish, I gave these third graders the option. Did we want to do our cheer? A resounding “yes”! Another exclaimed “Ooh yes! I even made up a song for it!” and she belted out the Smarties cheer to a melody. And, just like that, they were ready and eager to learn. I think I need a cheer! That gives me an idea for tomorrow’s slice... Inspired by the variety of blue pens and markers I noticed in my pen jar.
Hues Blues that brighten Blues that burst And yet, right there, beneath Are blues of gray That make the day Just a bit submersed In all the hues of this tapestry We weave We live Unrehearsed Once upon a time, in a neighborhood far, far away...there were three girls dancing on the front lawn. Dancing, or shall I say choreographing. And ever so seriously! All these memories flooding back upon hearing a passerby on a walk state the excitement of retiring boots for lighter footwear. Boots...
Allow me to take you back with me.’Twas the late Sixties (yes- like nineteen sixties) in an era a long time ago. We were a trio of little girls who spent their summer playing outside, being kept outside by moms who insisted we play outdoors. We must have been no more than seven or eight, and thought These Boots Were Made for Walking was just the coolest, dare I say grooviest, song ever. Denise’s front lawn became our stage, Ramona’s transistor radio our speaker system. Eventually I started bringing along my cassette player in the daisy- decked white wicker basket on my green banana seat bike. We captured the song on tape right from the radio and then played it over and over while we weighed the importance of who stands where, when we synchronize or if we improvise, do we lip sync or just move. So many seriously important decisions! The one constant was our level of cool, confidence and excitement. To this day, when I hear that song- I’m right there once more. Cool and confident- boots can do that. It's here! It's here! My second dose day is here!
As I check in with friends and family who had their second dose yesterday, I hear varying accounts of reaction...or not. One account was even shared right here in a Slice yesterday. Whatever the next twenty four hours will bring will be okay, because the long term advantage is what we are obviously all after. My personal biggest bonus is being with my granddaughter again. My first. I held her a year ago when she was only four months old. Then the world stopped. In the meantime, thanks to outdoor visits, FaceTime and MarcoPolo, we've built a relationship filled with laughs and Lithuanian children's songs, "cheers"ing cups into our screens, and watching, watching, watching her take her first steps, mouthing her first words, styling her first "fountain"" pony tail. On March 20th, just as Mother Earth delivers spring, I'll be two weeks post vaccine and in the appropriately symbolic springing of new beginnings, we'll be springing into real time, in person, though masked, interactive visits. The thought of this renders me speechless with JOY! It's here! It's here! Happy spring! Woke up today and asked myself- who was that last night? The “who” I’m referring to is me, but definitely not my best self. Far from it actually! Do you ever have that feeling of euphoria at dawn when you wake up feeling so refreshed that the memory of the state you were in the night before is absolutely bewildering? I had been one tired, hungry, sleepy puppy dawg who couldnt wait for it to be late enough to go to bed. In the meantime, I probably wasn’t the most pleasant to be around.
Ah... the power of a good night’s rest! Life is good! Life is grand! Lesson learned - no slacking on bedtime. Rejuvenatory rest is critical! Hence- the short post today. Choosing to keep moving through the day and prioritizing that precious sleep at the proper time. Happy recharging folks! “Joyful productivity, joyful productivity. My intention for today is joyful productivity,” I say aloud as I back out of the garage. And as I say it, I think-wham! There’s my “slice of life” entry for today! Setting that intention already kicked universal energy into high gear!
Setting an intention on my ride to school has become a daily practice. I’ve long been a follower of manifesting gurus, a reader of spiritual books, a believer of emotional empowerment, an affirmation advocate - this exploration of all things ethereal lead me to “segment intending”. And I love it! The author who explained this concept actually suggests making the segments quite focused- smaller chunks of time than an entire school day, but hey...baby steps to new habits. I occasionally play with the words until I can get some awesome alliteration going- this will rid one of any morning brain fog as an added bonus! So I have intended for “smooth sailing success”, a "magnificent Monday", "happy surprises", "calm contentment", and many more. Sometimes the intention isn’t just for me, but to be the provider of the intended outcome for others. It’s been one of my most treasured transcendental take-aways. |
Lydia DudenasPondering, appreciating, creating- at home, at school, in life. ArchivesCategories |