Day Two - A Rainbow

This morning when I went out to get the paper, I saw a rainbow. Now, the remarkable thing about it was that it hadn't or wasn't raining. It was just there. And it made me think. Now, whenever I see a rainbow, I feel closer to God - kind of like He's sending the sign just for me. I really felt that He was telling me in His own special way that I have to move forward and focus on positive things.

Now, I recall my earlier post which cited a lot of spiritual references - divine intervention, etc - and I know that this is what I'm supposed to do. Now, whether the "this" is search for an answer or stay in education, I haven't figured that out yet. At least I feel better about the here and now.

One of my friends was talking today about being happy in the here and now. She said she had spent so long looking ahead at various milestones that she found herself struggling with the present. Hmmmmm...

My problem is that I've stayed so busy for the last 16 years that I've failed to pay any attention to the present. I've never slowed down enough to look at the present and decide if it really makes me happy. Keep in mind that I'm really talking about my career now - nothing else.

My first year of teaching was insane. There is no other word for it. I taught 2 classes of drama and 2 classes of video production at high school then traveled 30 minutes to a middle school where I taught 6th grade social studies, 6th grade art, and 7th grade PE. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I just survived.

The next year was only slightly better. I kept the same schedule at the high school and traveled 20 minutes to a middle school where I taught 8th grade science. That was the year I learned that I could do all that and begin the drama club at the high school.

The following year I became English full time. I felt like it was my first year teaching all over again. Within the next 4 years, I took over the newspaper. Three years after that, the journalism class added broadcasting. Two years later I was department chair and National Honor Society coordinator. Somewhere in there I managed to get my Masters in Composition and Rhetoric and get and renew my National Board Certification. There have been numerous interns and mentees along with Planning and Leadership meetings and Staff Development Coordinator responsibilities. Oh yeah - I also got married and had a kid.

So, here I am slowing down - or at least adjusting to the workload - and I'm questioning what I'm doing, how I do it, and why I do it.