Friday, July 12, 2019

Don't Drown in Duties


Some say the older one gets the more wisdom one acquires. While this may certainly be true, my personal belief is that the older one gets the more complexities life acquires.  The blissful ignorance of childhood dissipates with every class taken, appointment scheduled, relationship made, commitment committed.  For most, the more responsibilities we acquire, the more overwhelmed we feel.  No one wants to sink under the weight of necessary tasks, and it is for this reason that I purposely sought out ways to help decrease the suffocating effect of drowning in duties.

What did I discover?

Making a list of daily goals at night, and then consciously working on completing those goals the next day helps me accomplish more of the tasks that I need to complete.  I have always resisted this “list” activity as it seemingly adds pressure to my already tense mindset – as if the mere existence of a list was just another piece of evidence that I have too much sh** to do.  But I’ve been gulping water, sputtering and spitting, trying to tolerate the discomfort of my own pool of promises so much so that my forehead is about to submerge.  Assigned to try something (Thank you, Dominican of California “Teacher Self-Care: Managing Work & Life”), I decided to make a list of five goals each night that I would then work to complete the next day. I implemented another strategy to help prioritize my goals: I used what some call the Eisenhower Matrix to chart what tasks were important and/or urgent.  As I’m a teacher on summer break, there are few tasks that are particularly urgent (with the exception of appointments made), so none of my goals fell under both the Urgent and Important categories, which require a “must do immediately” approach. I expect this will change as soon as school starts again, but hopefully with my new insight, I’ll feel more motivated to complete those urgent and important tasks. The majority of my goals fell under the Important and Not Urgent category, which requires deciding when to do the task and scheduling it. My list was just that: a schedule of when I needed to do each task. Every day for a week, alongside the myriad of pop-up obligations required of a mother, I intentionally completed the tasks.  At the end of the day, I literally checked off the tasks on my calendar with a feeling of accomplishment that was unexpected. I felt like I had progressed. All of the little tasks that are necessary for a functioning house and for being a quality teacher add up, but when I chunked my huge duties in the form of daily small, manageable lists, I didn’t feel smothered; I felt satisfied.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Strolling on the sidewalk

Sun sparkling,
Snow slipping,
Mud making, 
Drips drying,
Geese (and girl) grumbling,
Squirrels skittering,
Cardinals crooning,
Trees trying,
Crocuses creeping,
Moms mothering,
Scents suggesting
Spring



Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Change

Change

It's difficult. 
Moving beyond the warmth 
And love
To another moment
Makes me sad.
These precious times 
I savor,
Yet they slide away 
Like the last bite
Of a sweet treat.

Perfection floats
Before my eyes.
Comfort drifts 
toward my ears.
I want to grab it,
Hold it,
Freeze it 
In time.
I don't want to
Let go.
No!

Heart-aching,
Eye-burning,
Wistful
Ruminations.

It's futile.
Everything 
Changes.




Sunday, March 8, 2015

Savor the moment

We stepped out into the 50 degree weather, and our daughter, snug in her car seat, lifted her chin to sniff the air and blinked against the bright sky.  She's been out during the 20 degree weather, swaddled, canopied, and protected from the elements.  Today was the first day that she could feel the breeze on her face, hear the birds chirping (albeit because she was awake and alert), and begin to understand the wonders of our world. 

As we headed around the neighborhood, my husband and I listened to the signs of spring and attempted to avoid puddles on the sidewalk. All the while, our daughter stared wide-eyed around her.  I don't know what she was looking at, the trees, the sky, the handle of the carrier... Whatever she saw, I appreciated her acknowledgement of the different environment.  

Even though she didn't have a hat on, and I was slightly concerned, we decided to take our normal route because it was darn nice out!  Snow piles were melting, trees were budding, and our daughter was silently contemplating the beauty of life (or so I imagined).  We wanted to savor the moment.

Saturday, March 7, 2015

Future adventures

Today we took our daughter to her first ice hockey game. She's nearly six weeks old, and we've tried to get her out and about even though she was born during a particularly cold and snowy winter.  Most of the time we take her out to eat, and she sleeps through the meal. She seems to like the ambient noise of restaurants. The hockey game was the next step in increasing her comfort outside of the house.  

Because she had several decent naps today, I feared allowing her to sleep through the whole game. That much sleep might prevent her from actually sleeping well at night. So we woke her up before the game, and I fed her, then we headed in. The lights, the band, the fans...all were new and fascinating to our daughter. As I held her in my arms, she looked around with an alertness that has been building each day. It was difficult for me to watch the players because I enjoyed watching her ponder the world around her.  

Of course, it was fun to go to the game, but even more, I liked having our daughter with us, absorbing all that she could.  I'm sure we will take her to many more events that she will find entertaining.  But I can't help but thinking that her adventures will be much more fabulous for her father and me. 

Friday, March 6, 2015

Honoring Pinterest

Honoring Pinterest

Pinterest, you are the most useful of sources.
It is with great joy that I peruse your boards,
window-shopping,
searching far and wide
for recipes
to satiate my family's hunger,
for directions
to show how-to,
for products
to purchase and to give,
for photos
to illustrate the world past and present,
for humor
to entertain,
for lessons
to brainstorm,
for tips
to remain fit.

Pinterest, you are the most wonderful of sources.
It is because of you that I encounter the Internet,
learning,
growing mentally and physically
for my husband
to show my love,
for my daughter
to raise her well,
for my parents
to give appreciation,
for my friends
to share a laugh,
for my students
to instruct,
for myself
to be a better person.




Thursday, March 5, 2015

Classic literature for babies

There are times when I encounter products or ideas that I wish I had created.  This summer, I found children books by Jennifer Adams that are based on classic literature. What a great idea!  I purchased one based on The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (because I teach the novel in my class), and I just loved it.  The book actually includes quotations from the book while being suitable for a baby.  It offers"camping" terms like raft and river that help youngsters learn new terminology.  More importantly, it introduces a classic American novel.  To me, this is invaluable. We went to the bookstore today and purchased two new literature-based books, one based on Romeo and Juliet and another based on The Wizard of  Oz. I'm so excited to read them to my daughter!

When I was young, I played a card game called "Authors" that used various classic authors from Europe and America.  When I read literature, I often recall the time I spent playing the game with my parents.  I want my daughter to encounter the names of authors and titles that epitomize great literature, and Adams's books help to do this.  Right now she is weeks old, so I know she isn't absorbing much that I read to her, but I know that she will eventually learn to love the books like I loved the card game.   Even more importantly, I hope that when she is older, she will love the time we spent together reading the books.