Getting up and out of the house has just gotten a little easier. What’s my secret? The sunshine of course!

This winter has been a challenge for sure. On top ot the Covid restrictions that have kept us at home, the weather here in Southeastern Pennsylvania has been cold and snowy and rainy. We had a string of snowstorms the likes of which we haven’t seen in years. Snow days just aren’t as much fun for adults as they are for kids. They bring worries about who will clear our snow, how will the commute to work be, will we lose power, how long to I need to hear up the car and on and on and on.

Over the last couple of weeks I have noticed that it is lighter in the morning; I am no longer going to work in the dark, and if I leave at just the right time, I may even catch the sunrise. This new found brightness has me feeling more hopeful in the morning. It is a little easier to cast off some of the heavy thoughts that can crowd my mind and weigh me down.

I love living in an area of the country that truly experiences the change of seasons, and I appreciate them all, but I am never sad to see winter go. Spring brings sunnier days, increasing temperatures, and the chance to get outside. March is bringing brighter days closer to vaccines for all – closer to me getting back to the real sunshine of my life – my grandkids. Slowly but surely – each day better than the one before. In the meantime – bring on the sun.

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March. I will be posting every day this month. It is sponsored by twowritingteachers.com.

So yesterday I had a telehealth appointment after school. It was a yearly check-in, and I was meeting a new doctor for the first time. I made this appointment about a month or so ago, and the doctor’s name kept swirling around in my head. His name seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place it, so the Nancy Drew in me took over. (All names and specialties will remain anonymous to comply with HIPPA protocols…lol)

I searched the practice’s website where I found his first name and a picture. Now the name became more familiar, but I was in denial. I don’t know how I remembered, but I was almost certain I had taught a boy/young man early on in my career as a music teacher with this same name (it is not a common name). Well, I searched Facebook, but people change a lot over 30 years especially from childhood to adulthood. I still wasn’t sure.

I then remembered that he would be about the same age as the children of friends of mine whom I taught said school”. I messaged one of the “kids” (an adult with children of her own), and she confirmed my suspicion. This good doctor was in the same class as her older brother.

Now I wasn’t sure how I was going to insert my random question into the appointment, but I figured I would find the appropriate time. We exchanged pleasantries and Dr. H. asked me different questions and how things were going in life in general. I mentioned that I was teaching both in-person and virtually at the same time and how exhausting that situation could be, but how grateful I was to be in my classroom with students.

The appointment was about to wrap up when Dr. H. asked if he could ask a random question. I told him that it was probably the same random question I had for him. He asked, “Did you ever teach at St. James?” I replied that I did. He said, “I think you taught me music.” I replied, “I think you’re right!”

We chatted for a little while longer, and just as we were going to log off, Dr. H. said, “When I think of myself at that age and how I could have been in class with a music teacher – I wasn’t ‘that kid’ was I?” I laughed and replied, “Absolutely not!”

I am always happy to connect with former students even when the connection reminds me of just how old I am. What was special about yesterday was I didn’t have to ask my random question; he remembered me, and that felt good.

I am participating in the Slice of Life Story Challenge for the month of March. I will be posting every day this month. It is sponsored by twowritingteachers.com.

There’s always a new challenge to keep you motivated.

Sean Connery

Motivation to write has been hard to find since COVID hit. This time last year we didn’t know the scope of what was before us or how difficult and different life would become. School buildings closed less than two weeks into the March Slice of Life Challenge. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to finish the challenge, but I am not a quitter.

Posting to SOL each day was one thing that remained “normal” during the start of what would become something unimaginable. I enjoyed reading and responding so many of the posts of other slicers as well as reading their responses to my posts. It took me away from the constant barrage of bad news.

I am so grateful to my writing communities for being a constant in an everchanging reality. I credit the following groups for helping me carve out time for writing and for holding me accountable: 100 Days of Writing and Beyond, Ethical ELA, Teach Write, and my PAWLP writing project community. Even though we are still in the midst of the pandemic, I am excited to start a new Slice of Life Challenge and find motivation to continue to write. I don’t know where I would be without my online writing connections.

I am participating in the Slice of Life writing challenge for the month of March. I will be posting every day this month. It is sponsored by twowritingteachers.com.

My advice to my children has always been that they should forgive. Forgive those who have hurt your feelings or who have wronged you. Sometimes they ask “why?” or say that they just can’t forgive. My reply is always the same – holding a grudge and not forgiving does not hurt the person who wronged you. They may not even know or care about what they did. Witholding forgiveness only hurts the grudge-holder. We can never be at peace with ourselves if we are not at peace with others.

Forgiving and finding that peace does not mean forgetting what a person did or said; forgiving is about releasing yourself from feeling bitter. That grudge-holding and bitterness will become an albatross around your neck if you are not willing to forgive. I know this from experience.

You know that old saying – “Do as I say, not as I do.” Well, I have come to a crossroads, and I need a Moonstruck moment – “Snap out of it!” I have found myself unable to forgive and let go, and taking my own advice is difficult. You see, part of me wants to hold the grudge/s forever. On some level that anger and bitterness feel satisfying, but at its core it is toxic, and toxcitity can kill you – body and soul.

Maybe it was the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday, or one of the meditations on my Calm app, or “The Bible in a Year” podcast I’ve been listening to – whatever it was, I have decided it is finally time to stop witholding forgiveness, stop torturing myself, and release myself from the bitterness and anger that has been taking up too much space in my head and my heart.

This certainly isn’t going to be easy, but I am taking it one day at a time, one situation at a time. Wish me luck. I wish you peace.

Another snow storm is forcasted for Thursday. Here is what we can expect according to Accuweather – heavy mixed precipitation possible. Total snow and sleet accumulations of 3 to 6 inches and ice accumulations of one tenth to one quarter of an inch possible from late Wednesday night through Friday afternoon. Those of you who live in the northern parts of the 48 or in Canada might think 3 – 6 inches is just a baby snowstorm, but to me here in southeastern Pennsylvania, it is a major headache. UGH!

First there is the whole shoveling deal. Neither my husband nor I are able to shovel snow due to health reasons. Thankfully, we have wonderful family, friends, and neighbors who will come and clear the snow for us, but it is a reminder of what we can’t do. Having to take help from others is a humbling experience, but it is a lesson we all need to learn at some point.

Then there is school. We have used all of our snow days, so moving forward any bad weather results in a virtual learning day. I totally understand that, but teaching virtually presents a different set of challenges (as most of you know). Did I bring home everything I needed? Will the wifi be working? Couple that with my shoveling anxieties and not much sleeping happens when we are on “snow watch.”

In addition there is the stress of knowing that my husband and children need to navigate the slippery streets to get to work. Only one of them is working from home. A mother never gets over the need to know that all her cubs are safely back in their dens. I still make my adult children text me to let me know everyone in their homes have made it home safely.

Don’t get me wrong; if all I had to do was stay home safe and warm on the couch watching the silent snow gently drift down, I would think it just lovely. Unfortunately, that isn’t how it works. The beauty of snow is wonderful until you have deal with its aftermath. It is the not knowing, the uncertainty that causes me to stop liking snow after the second or third storm.

If Mother Nature is reading this post, please let this be the last snow of the season. I am ready for some warmer temperatures and sights of spring.

These past few weeks have been difficult in the US, and I found myself too wrapped up in the national and local news – the doom and gloom. So in the name of self – preservation I reminded myself to be on the lookout for WONDER – my OLW for January.

On Sunday, my daughter stopped by with my two grandsons for a socially distanced visit to exchange some things we had for each other. When Nolan, age 3, came up the driveway, he searched the blacktop and asked, “Nona, where’s the worm?” You see, the last time he was at our house (several weeks ago) it was after a particularly rainy stretch, and we spent several minutes watching a rather large worm make its way from the lawn, across the driveway, and into the flowerbed. Nolan expected to see that worm again in the same place. Lesson: look with WONDER at the innocent expectations of a child.

Last week we celebrated my grandson Parker’s 7th birthday via Facetime. My daughter made Parker a layer cake that “exploded” with Reese’s Pieces when she cut the first piece. Parker exclaimed, “Mom, you did this for me?!” Lesson: look with WONDER at loving gestures.

Of course, I can’t forget the lessons I learned from my granddaughters, Emma and Isabella (Izzy). My daughter-in-law posted on Instagram a short video of Emma (almost 7) and Izzy (4) commanding Alexa to fart! It was entitled – “Apparently Alexa can do different kinds of farts….Something I wish I never knew!” I couldn’t help but get caught up in the roar of laughter coming from the girls. Lesson: look for WONDER in the unabashed giggles of children.

There is WONDER all around us in the ordinary people, places, and things we passby, overlook, or take for granted each day. Where have you found WONDER this week?

I was mulling over whether or not to choose my OLW (One Little Word) for 2021 or not. In years past my OLW has gone down the same path as my New Year’s resolutions – lost without a GPS. I was definitely leaning towards now choosing a word (I had given up resolutions years ago) until I read “Choosing a Word of the Month in 2021” by Christie Wyman. https://bit.ly/34QyFsf which was posted in the Facebook Group, Teach Write: Helping Teachers Grow as Writers https://www.facebook.com/groups/348136095622823/ If you haven’t checked this group out, you must!

Christie explained in her article how she too had trouble focusing on one word for the entire year, so instead she was going to choose a word for each month instead. I loved the idea and started to imagine what my monthly words could be. Since one of my writing goals for 2021 was to work on a collection of seasonal poetry, I thought I would start there. I chose one word for each season beginning with winter – REFLECT – RENEW – RELAX – REAP, and then looked for inspiring words for each month.

My OLW word for January is WONDER. (N) – feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. (V) – 1. desire to be curious to know something – 2. feeling doubt.

I have the feeling doubt thing down to a science. It is the other definitions I need to work on. I definitely wonder what the world has in store for 2021, but I want to be curious about life and the people and things that appear in my life. I believe that there are no accidents – everything happens for a reason and a lesson. I want to look at the world through the eyes of wonder, the eyes of a child. So for the rest of the month I am keeping my eyes open to the wonders all around me waiting to be discovered or rediscovered.

He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is a good as dead; his eyes are closed.

Albert Einstein

Last week, my husband bought a bag of chocolate chip cookies – crispy and crunchy. Later in the week, he bought a bag of brownie chip cookies – soft and chewy. And so the tale begins.

The chocolate chip cookies really hit the spot with a warm cup of tea. Little by little the cookies began to disappear, and the few remaining cookies were looking lost in the bag, so I placed the three lonely chocolate chip cookies in the bag with the brownie chip cookies. That was a bad move; the next day, my crispy, crunchy cookies were soft and chewy just like the brownie chip cookies. I should have known better because when I bake chocolate chip cookies, I always store them in a tin because I prefer them crispy.

Now there isn’t anything really bad about chewy cookies; it’s all in the mouth of the beholder. Some prefer crispy, crunchy; and some prefer soft and chewy. But this cookie conundrum got me thinking about the moral of the cookie tale.

Be careful what and whom you surround yourself with because the more you are around places or people the more you can find yourself taking on those characteristics – good or bad. Don’t let your surroundings turn you into someone other than the person you were meant to be – the best version of yourself.

I made this collage over the weekend because I needed a pick-me-up, and nothing picks me up like Autumn. When the calendar turns to September, I know that Fall is not too far behind. It’s hard to explain, but pumpkins, haystacks, cider, and falling leaves in all their splendor bring me a true sense of peace and calm.

September also brings back-to-school. Any excuse to buy new writing utensils, notebooks, and stickers makes my heart flutter like those falling leaves. This year that excitement is tempered by the “new normal” we are all facing. I will be going back in-person to my 7th grade students; and while I am really excited to be back in my classroom, my head is spinning with all the Covid protocols and new procedures put in place to protect the students and teachers. It can be overwhelming if you let it, but I am doing my best not to let it rob me of the joy of teaching and all the reasons I became a teacher so many years ago.

To that end, I have a notebook waiting to be covered with pretty paper that will bring me joy. Every day before I leave school, I will list the things that brought me joy.

I know that I will be exhausted next week when school begins – I am every first week of school every year let alone the first week of school during a pandemic! That doesn’t mean I won’t be joyfully tired!

I know it is going to be difficult for everyone, and some days might be tougher than others, but if I only focus on the tough parts, I am in danger of losing my joy, and for a teacher that is career-threatening. Although I have been teaching for a long time, my journey is not over; Covid is not going to highjack my joy!