A Finish Line and a Light

Today I am grateful for the students, parents, and colleagues I have worked with this school year. I am also grateful for the years of experience I have in education that help me keep things in perspective.

This school year is winding down. We are near the finish line. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

Some of those analogies sound more positive than others. In truth, aspects of this year were positive, but others were quite draining. I could probably say that about every one of my 27 years in education. Twenty-seven times I have reached the end of a school year and reflected back on it.

The nature of a school year, however, means that before one year is officially done, work is being put in to prepare for the next year. I am summoning the energy to do some of that work and I am encouraged by the possibilities and prospects that lie ahead. I am grateful for that. One finish line is crossed and training begins for another distance event. And even when things might have felt like a dark tunnel this year, even then I always had enough light to keep moving forward.

My daily gratitude practice is one of the reasons I can remain energized and forward moving, whether it be at work, at home, in recovery, with my writing, with marathon training.

As I close this post, I also want to say good job to our son Sam for a successful 7th grade year! He does well in school and is pretty even-keeled about it all. For that I am extremely grateful. Thank you to his many teachers and the other adults who help teach, guide, motivate, and inspire him and all of his fellow classmates.

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