I have senioritis… and not a mild case at all. On top of which I'm NOT a senior. I still have one year left of Graduate School (which I'm taking a year off from) and I don't even teach seniors. But I have it. That excitement, anticipation, and feeling that what's next needs to hurry up and get here… All while wishing you have more time for the things you love and not sure you're ready for all the change. Yep. I got that whole mess going on. My students have Summeritis! They are so ready for summer and for a break. This is a recipe for disaster. No one (and I'm including myself) wants to do anything. It's much more fun to do other things, to plan, to shop, and to daydream. As the teacher it's my responsibility to keep my students present and focused for the last 17 days of school (for me its 12 since I have TRAINING CAMP in 4 DAYS!!!!) This is not easy. Being PRESENT is a CHOICE.
Yep, it's a CHOICE. A CHOICE to stay focused and be in the here and now; to not be so focused on what's next that I miss out on the silly jokes 12 year olds tell each other. A CHOICE to be PRESENT when my students come to me with yet another laundry list of reasons as to why they haven't done their work, or are failing a class. It's a CHOICE to be PRESENT when they come to me with their tears. It's a CHOICE to be PRESENT and to complete my paperwork correctly, even though it sucks big time. It's a CHOICE to wake up early to get work on time, to be at church on time. All of it is a CHOICE.
God is teaching me about being PRESENT. That old Aerosmith song "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" comes to mind. Not the love song aspect but the idea of not wanting to miss one moment of something. Its easy as we get caught up in the excitement of leaving to forget to be PRESENT for the moments that we have here. the hug from a student, the giggle from my niece, the preaching from my pastor, the late night chats with friends and family. So, I'm making the CHOICE to be PRESENT; to be in the here and now. I cannot wait for all the amazing things the race has in store for me. But for this moment, I am making the CHOICE to be PRESENT. Because the PRESENT is a present (awww.. see what I did there ;)), and I DON'T want to miss it.
