The weather was distinctly fall-like this weekend. We just returned from a week in Allegany State Park, where I sat beside a campfire with my husband and reflected on the year behind us in anticipation of the year ahead of us. Every so often, a lanky young woman would wander past us and stop for a moment to plant a kiss on top of our heads. I caught myself wondering where she came from, and when her younger sister began cracking wise (as she so often does), I found it hard to believe that already, my girls are growing into their own. Time is moving far too quickly.
This summer had to be the fastest on record for me, and while I’m looking forward to the return of our school year routine and the new opportunities that await all of us, a huge part of me feels like digging my heels into these last days of summer. I am wishing that time could stand still for just one little moment. It’s been a restorative season for so many of us. I’ve learned so much. I’ve spent time with all of the people who sustain me best, learning and thinking and planning for the days ahead. Days that will, with any luck, be a bit sunnier than those we’ve had in Western New York this summer!
The beginning of the year can be daunting sometimes. We often have grand schemes and complicated visions of what we must accomplish in order to call our year a success. Anyone who knows me can attest to my love of planning. Yeah, I’m all for setting goals, but if there is anything that this summer taught me it was the importance of vision. So while it may not be September just yet, I’m already thinking of spring and where I want to be then. Inspire me a bit here, will you? Share your vision for where you hope to be by spring. Not just as a teacher or an administrator or a service provider, but maybe as a learner or a writer or a parent or a spouse or a friend. What are your goals? How are you planning to seek balance this year?
I love fall. It’s filled with promise. A school year’s worth of possibility lies ahead of each of us! What one thing are you promising to do for yourself this year?
