A New Year

The new year is quickly coming and my writing along with a lot of other things have taken a back seat to work.  It has been a while since I posted on this blog so let me catch up.  My worries about money and keeping the daycare business going took over (and a man named Kevin Eagleson) and I somehow found myself back in the middle school classroom.

But this one is very different.  Sacred Heart Nativity School.  It is almost impossible to explain.  It is a school dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty in downtown San Jose.  That's where the simple explanation ends.  It is an all boy school and an all girl school.  The boys are upstairs and the the girls are downstairs.  I teach 7th grade girls and boys.  But there's more.  Each teacher is on an 8 hour schedule so on my "late" days I teach from 10:00 to 3:00, then monitor activity period which could be anything from kickball to running club followed by homework club until 6:00 PM.  It is an exhausting day and this job has entirely taken over my live.

So when I sit and think about a new year and my resolutions it begins with taking control again.  Taking control of my diet and exercise.  Taking control of the time I spend with my loved ones.  Taking control of my life.  I have let work get the best of me and while I know I must work to live I have somehow left the last part out of the equation.

So here is my "do it now" list
Take time …
     to read
     to write
     to play
     to hike in the woods
     to go to the beach and breathe it in
     to have people over for drinks and dinner
     to walk the dog and run me
     to talk to my friends and family
     to meditate and think and ponder
     to dream big again
These are the things that make me whole.

My resolution for 2014 is to once again get my life back in balance.  I resolve to enjoy life again, to remember how important the little things are, and that our joys outweigh the sorrows.  I resolve to remember that school is like housework, it will always be there.  So let's bring on the new year in happiness, joy and anticipation of all that is yet to come.  Happy New Year!