Thoughts on leaving the classroom

After thirty-five years, I have left the classroom. People ask me if it is bittersweet. "Bittersweet" implies more of an extreme duality than I would use to describe my experience of teaching high school. The times when I felt bitter were mainly frustration that many institutional tasks took energy away from my teaching. "Sweet" seems superficial and doesn't really describe the deep fulfillment and satisfaction I felt from watching my students catch the thrill of finding their own discoveries in a text. My own process of learning as I was teaching brought me hours of contentment, reading and planning and making my own discoveries. I did a lot of groundwork to be able to lead discussions that invited my students to have their own creative interpretations, always staying grounded in the text. I am grateful for the hundreds of fascinating students and colleagues I met and got to know through the daily contact in the classroom. They are cool people. They are worthy.

So I prefer to say it's a mixed bag-- a balance of sadness, joyfulness, and gratitude. And now I have time to do other things that make me feel useful and active.

Messages to the Universe

 My husband hosted a retirement party for me and I invited our friends to send a message to the universe. I promised to deliver the messages and here they are. 

 

I am sending my best wishes to the world for more peace and tolerance among human beings. May everyone emerge from their own opinions, biases, mental strongholds, dogmatic teachings, and open themselves to allow things to happen and be--Don't resist, don't hide, don't retreat! "Be open to everything and attached to nothing," to quote Wayne Dyer. Allow things to come and pass! All is well, all is good. 

Dear Universe: Hope you are well. I don't really know what to ask, but if you could tone down the temperature a bit in summer, it would be nice! 😊

Keep my heart open in order to love, value, and connect to others without judgment. 

Let us please figure out this environmental problem or should I say disaster we humans made in the last decades. I know it is possible to solve it before it is too late. 

Dear Universe: You deserve so much more than we're giving you right now. I don't even know that we're trying our best. I know that you will go on, without or without us. Thanks for this brief, glorious moment. 

Hello! Is anyone out there? Is anyone out there? If you are there, I have a few requests. 1--Please help my wife not be so crazy. Marrying a crazy man is not a valid excuse.  2--Make sure we have plenty of beer. There is no life without beer.  3--I hate to bring this back but I do not understand why my wife doesn't not understand that I am always right... (sometimes, actually, I am left...)  4--Help baby grandson understand he can be in a crazy family--all the normal ones were already full.  5--Thank you for our neighbors--they are doing ok with their crazy neighbors.  Okay, so if you hear me--Hurry up---this is urgent and I need your help. Thank you--be good-- 😊

I am humbled to know that I am part of this magnificent universe. And to the freshman who left his mother's avocado green Oxo silicone spatula at International Day about 20 years ago, and never claimed it--thank you, universe, for sending me this wonderful tool that has been part of my morning breakfast routine ever since.

We know answers will come from the universe and we are listening.

Tomato update and summer plans

 The tomatoes are recovering from being savaged by the deer just as they were getting started producing fruit. I had put up netting but not all the way around, but now they are fully protected and bearing fruit. 

Summer plans are very loose. I'm not making any big decisions for a while. Retiring from the classroom after thirty-five years of teaching high school was a decision that took a lot of energy and planning. That's enough for now. The thank you notes are getting me through these early days.