Looking Back… Looking Forward…

reflections workshops

With but a few hours and minutes left in this year, It is a perfect time for me, (no… us) to look back over the year as well as look ahead. I mentioned to a friend this morning that I wish I could see in the future. I know better than that. Life has taught me that it is best to take it one day at a time, and better yet, moment by moment.Hurry up and wait... Wasn’t it just yesterday when Shannon and I sat at the computer asking each other, “What do you think? Should we do this? Do you want to try?” We had no idea where this would take us and never imagined that we would be where we are today. Even as I form these words, I wonder what is still ahead of us. Every month we are asked over and over again when we are going to stop teaching and do this full time. And we wrestle with those choices. We love teaching. And we understand that, as teachers, we expect the people who train and teach us to understand and appreciate what our vocation requires. We don’t expect people who aren’t standing in our shoes to understand or relate. We understand that is one of the reasons we have been able to connect to our participants. We “get it”.

With that said, I finally committed to retirement. Waiting until the last week possible, I submitted my “Letter of Intent”. It is for the year 2013-2014, but nevertheless, a commitment. I had tried once before, but withdrew it minutes before the deadline. That was four years ago. What made me go through with it this time? What is different? I can honestly say that I have no less energy than I did the day I stepped inside my first classroom. My desire to learn and teach has increased exponentially, and I look forward to new projects and challenges. The same frustrations exist, just with different names and acronyms. This time, though, I have a future. Even though the path is dim and has no definitive direction, it is there. And it is exciting. We have had so many wonderful opportunities to teach and train, and at the same time, the enthusiasm and opportunities to learn from those we have met have made the last year more than memorable.

For now, Shannon and I teach our students, the children that have been loaned to us for a year. We still have this year with so much more they need to learn before we can allow them to step outside our classrooms. The future is filled with so much to learn and try, and the promises of exciting lessons keep us motivated to continue learning and trying. The future will work itself out.

And for now, this moment, I only need to say “Thank you” to my daughter for allowing me to share all of this with her and “Thank you” to all those who have been part of our workshops and presentations. We learn from you so much, as well. You and our children are what make our future so bright…