For the month of March, I am writing daily with Slice of Life bloggers. Adding daily writing to everything else is interesting. My busy brain is always overflowing. Now I’m working to hold on to a slice to remember. Read other slicer’s writing here at Two Writing Teachers.
Today I woke up groggy, my body and brain begging for more sleep. I don’t want to give in to fatigue.
Wanting to swim, I get my bag and in 10 minutes I’m out the door. Traffic lights are the only thing that disrupt my drive.
I think as I hurtle down the street, this has got to change. I keep adding to the “to do” without taking anything away, except sleep.
I’ll shave a bit off the workout, I think. I‘ll leave 15 minutes early.
Pool time provides a rare opportunity: I don’t think. My mind turns off, and I just go.
The back and forth, lulls my brain into a state of calm. The water nulls out distractions and concerns. I suppose that’s why when I get to that moment, that moment I should get out, that I don’t. Just one more, because I’ve forgotten all those thoughts I had on the way here.
It isn’t until I’m on my drive home that I remember and think. I calculate my time.
I turn off of one busy street, onto a less busy street, surprised by pedestrians in my car-oriented world.
Up on the left I spot a drive-thru Starbucks. I love this spot. Terrible me. It’s decadent. I don’t even have to get out of my car. Waiting in line, cell phone in hand, I read a post. I pull up. The face at the window is my former student Evelyn. We’re surprised to see each other, and we exchange updates on her and her siblings (they’re triplets). Her brother’s in the Marines; her sister’s in college studying acting. She’s in college too, English major. This moment made my morning.
Filled up with news and coffee, off I go with time to spare. I think about the day ahead and how to parse my school day. So much to do. I don’t want to give anything up. I just seem to think of more. Long gone is the grogginess of the first minutes of my day. Now I’m filled with all kinds of will dos and must dos. I know my plate is full. Too much
Tomorrow when I wake up, I’ll accept the fatigue as an outcome of me. This how I make things go, overflowing, too much.
Fun playing with Tagxedo
To Read To Write To Be 
During the last few days I have enjoyed reading about mornings of different people. I always think of Byrd Baylor’s “The Way to Start a Day.” I like how your thoughts and actions mingled and changed. have a fabulous day. Rest tomorrow.
I am in awe of the activity your morning routine involves. Admirable. I loved the internal monologue of fighting with fatigue and focus. Thanks for sharing.
Isn’t it amazing how an activity we think we don’t have time for actually centers us and helps us put the rest of our busy day into perspective? Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad that you have swimming. Something to turn your brain off is so important. I keep taking on more without giving up. I’ve given things up, but replaced them with more things that require deeper, more exhausting thought. It works though. I DO need to get some exercise though!
I love this post. You were renewed by a sense of doing what’s important, and your work having an impact. And, how awesome to run into an old student and learn of her new life, influenced, no doubt, by what she learned from you. Bravo!
I was in your frantic mind with you and then when you hit “I don’t think..” I relaxed along with you. I’m jealous of your opportunity to do that. I need to find an outlet to turn off my mind…
Don’t you love to meet up with former students and catch up on their lives? I am impressed that you have the morning swim…I like how you said once you begin you stop thinking…how therapeutic and what a great way to begin the day. Jackie http://familytrove.blogspot.com/
Taking that extra time in the pool brought the bonus of seeing your former student! I liked hearing about that. We do heap our plates, but I go by my mother’s advice, “it’ll all come out in the wash”, & try not to worry about it. Hope your weekend is a good one!
Love this! How to go from being groggy to “ready, set, go!”
I had a slow day today! Lots of routine tasks to do; limited fun. But some days there is comfort in marking the tasks off as “done.” And #edcampIowa tomorrow – the largest one in the country. We have 5 sites going simultaneously! Fun!
I can so relate with adding more “to-dos” and not taking anything off the plate. I keep thinking it has to slow down, but the end of the school seems to pick up its pace. I admire your routine of morning exercise! That is dedication! Enjoy your weekend.