I wonder what normal is like...
One of my most vivid memories of teaching was one morning after I’d dropped our first born off at daycare.
I was leaving in my truck when I noticed people in the adjacent neighborhood walking their dogs, going for a run, drinking coffee on their porches...all those “normal” morning routine things...when I thought to myself…
“I wonder what that’s like.”
What is it like not having to drop your baby off at 6:15am so you can be at the school farm before the kids show up at 6:45?
What’s it like to have time to drink coffee while the sun comes up?
What’s it like to exercise before work?
I drove on to school and went about my day but that moment stuck with me - that feeling of looking into a world I didn’t understand and couldn’t even fathom.
There aren’t many days left in this semester whether you’re in-person, online, or some Franken-learning combination of both.
I hope that over the break you will take time to indulge in some of that “normal” behavior that we see other people doing.
Naturally, there will be plenty of Ag teacher holiday routines like watering the greenhouse, going to hoof trimming appointments, plotting CDE practice schedules…
...but take a little time to do a few of the Hallmark movie/Publix commercial activities too because you deserve it.
You deserve to sit by the fire with your feet up.
You deserve to watch TV without multitasking.
You deserve to eat a leisurely lunch (what’s THAT like?!).
One day people will wonder what it was like to live through this [insert overused pandemic phrase here]...
...but for now take the time you need to do the things that make you feel normal.
Because after the year we’ve had…
You deserve to recharge, unwind, and feel some excitement again!
Almost there,
Alicia Tomlinson, creator and still trying to understand what normal is like
