Summer’s End is Another Little Death

Farewell teacher summer. It was a time of both unexpected grief and unanticipated joy—big goodbyes and some hello agains. Grownup having healed a bit kinda magic delivered by the universe at just about the time you’re charged with becoming a somewhat reluctant elder.

Funny how we can be asked to simultaneously hold such seemingly opposing experiences until you remember that the amount of joy you can feel is directly tied to how much sorrow you can sit with.

This new year will be wholly different personally, as a new series of “first _ without Dad” stacks up. Professionally, I begin my 30th year (+2 more years in the school system) of teaching and the last year my school will be open. Talk about some thresholds! Here’s to more endings making space for more possibilities.

I visited the elders today and asked for guidance keeping my peace and conserving some energy this year while also delivering something worthy to the children. They told me to walk with the crows, go to nature often, and seek out the light. With that wisdom, I step forward. 🐦‍⬛🌳✨

Early Morning update…the crows have a big presence in my neighborhood but they have not made direct contact with me for several weeks. I’ve been away a lot and, as the summer wears on, I have less and less tolerance for stupidly hot temps. This morning I walked out my front door with an armload of school stuff to drop in my car and noticed a very chatty crow in a tree one house down the street. I greeted them, asked what it was they needed from me and offered some peanuts I was taking to the school crows. I tossed some out and by the time I got back to the porch from my car, the crow was eating on my walkway. It was like one of those ancestors (Dad?) was there to remind me to “remember my soul,” which is the very first thing the crows said to me decades ago. Say what you will…I just deliver the news! 🥰🐦‍⬛