handwritten on July 3, 2018
There are very few times where I ever look around me in my surroundings. Actually, that may be somewhat untrue. In the moment of wherever I am, I usually attempt to be completely present (mind, body and soul) but this is not always the case. Usually, it is my mind that I tend to lose track of as I may be standing at a coffee shop but it is opening the drawers of thousands of other places. The problem I struggle with daily tends to be "being present" rather than "stuck in the future."
Nevertheless, I was meeting two friends for coffee the other day-which I never have time to do during the school year-and I was struck by the most beautiful tiny picture frame of two women. The women were older...
handwritten on July 1, 2018
Since January of this past year, I have been running a lot. I have found that running is when I seem to do the best thinking. I suppose it's something about letting my mind run free as my body seemingly is doing just that as well. Regardless, I always sense this inherent dread at the end of my run as I am forced to run up a rather steep street "Main Street." I have now calculated that this specific street is exactly .5 miles long. This is just short enough for me to try to make it up to the top without dying. However, it is also too long to make it...all the way up (at least not with careful training.) I have noticed that whether walking to the end or running to the end, my thoughts...
handwritten on June 30, 2018
Summer transition or transition into summer is always a bit hard for me. In general, I'm someone who thrives when going in nine thousand different directions at once. I love teaching, I love volunteering, I love creating assignments, tweaking curriculum, reading books, running around the neighborhood, reflecting, writing, talking with parents, gaining inspiration from unexpected places, etc. However, this summer I challenged myself to finally not spend a summer doing an activity full time. I'm nannying two beautiful children and volunteering with the JFCS and for me, though the down time is remarkably hard, I'm also learning that it is necessary. It is okay for a few weeks in the summer to...
handwritten on June 24, 2018
As a native Pittsburgher I grew up on the couch watching Mr. Rogers. I remember the land of make believe, the trolley sound effects and Mr. Rogers himself. As a young child at face value, he was a happy man who seemed to go through the world with the playfulness of a child. I viewed the land of Make Believe as incredibly creative, and I enjoyed all the tiny lessons Mr. Rogers taught throughout the entirety of his show. I traveled to a movie theater in Pittsburgh today, and I watched a documentary about him for the first time, and I was brought to tears. I was brought to tears for a few reasons which are hard to put into words, but I will do my best here:
1. There are genuinely decent...
handwritten on February 7, 2018
As a teacher, I think we become bogged down by a lot of paperwork and decisions. I make so many tiny decisions throughout the day, I think sometimes we have to realize that it isn't the decision that is going to bring joy and love, it is the person behind the decision. For example, I can make a decision to have the students use highlighters instead of pen to underline. However, if the teacher isn't delivering the article with love, both the highlighter and the pen are unecessary. I think sometimes we stress so much the mere decisions that could alter the day, that we forget that the joy and love and faith behind the decision far outway the actual decision. Decision-making is difficult. It...
