Sitting on my living room sofa on this Sunday morning when the clocks were turned back and a day is one hour shorter I feel squished between the past and the future week.
Looking back at the week behind me, I am puzzled how I was able to come through all of this - the intensity of a school's evaluation visit (and only if you ever have been a leader/teacher in a small school during a synchronised visit by three agencies, can you understand the complexity of it); the coaching course related peer-group supervision, practice coaching sessions, and personal coaching in the evenings; and then the memorial service for my dear aunt yesterday.
Looking forward, the week ahead is also going to be intense in a different way- some challenging conversations waiting; two groups of school visitors coming; PD and cultural events in the evenings.
What was, is in the past. What is yet to come, I have to wait and see. All I have is now. Staying in the now allows me to expand the space and time I am in and I don't feel so squished anymore.
Right now I am:
::realising that I have been so busy that I haven't even noticed that the flowers in the vases have dried
::looking at the dried petals of yellow tulips and pink roses; the concept of wabi sabi circling in my head
::savouring the sacred alone time before my hubby and daughter wake up
::saddening slightly at the thought that the writing challenge is coming to an end
::cheering for myself for in the midst of all the overwhelming busy times I have found the time to write
::appreciating how powerful self-care practice the daily writing has been
::sensing the stomach requiring breakfast
::hoping for hubby to wake up soon and fry some bacon and eggs (a lovely tradition on weekends)
::finishing the slice and
::going to make a cup of green tea
*the right now posts form the past
"cheering for myself"
ReplyDeleteYeah! I think we all need to do more of this.
Kevin
Really appreciate the way you take us from the swirl of thoughts and emotions related to the past and future and direct our focus on your now. There's lots of sensory detail, a bit of anticipation, and a degree of peace that made me take a satisfyingly deep breath at the end.
ReplyDeleteYou have had SO MUCH going on at the same time...how are you still above water? You are amazing! "cheering for myself for in the midst of all the overwhelming busy times I have found the time to write"...YES!!! "the intensity of a school's evaluation visit (and only if you ever have been a leader/teacher in a small school during a synchronised visit by three agencies, can you understand the complexity of it)"...1000%!!!
ReplyDeleteThe part of this that is sticking is: :looking at the dried petals of yellow tulips and pink roses; the concept of wabi sabi circling in my head probably because you included the photo. Thank you for reminding me that while nothing lasts, it is in all stages (even the dried up petal stage, that beauty is found. Lovely reflection. How you also enjoyed your breakfast! May have to nudge my husband to start that morning routine!!
ReplyDeleteSo often we get caught up in remembering the past or looking to the future that we forget to live in the today. I like how you savor what is going on in the moment.
ReplyDeleteThis is a beautiful take on the "right now" format, which I love both as a way to catch a slice and as a reminder to myself that the present moment is actually the only reality. And when we lean into that, we don't feel so "squished." Wishing you peace and calm today and this week!
ReplyDeleteTerje, beautiful post of Right Nows...I liked going back and seeing your past posts, one during March for the last few years. Thanks for sharing all the links. It is fun to keep track of your posts and see how things have changed, I think. I like the present-ness of this post--I can see you doing these things right now all the way to "finishing the slice" and "going" to get tea I saw that you were "saddening slightly" at the thought of the Slice of Life finishing. Maybe you will be happy to rest in not having a writing challenge daily, going back to these times to savor the quiet and appreciating the writing self-care you experience. However, if you would like another kind of challenge for April, it might be fun to join us for the April #verselove challenge at Ethical ELA. https://www.ethicalela.com/verselove/ (There will be updated messages about this year's challenge soon.)
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I needed to read today! I too get bogged down thinking about the future. What's to come and when? I forget to savor the right now. I love that you forced yourself to appreciate what was happening in the moment. In it, you were able to see such beauty and peace. I know this because you use great verbs to start each line. I will have to use this idea on a future slice!
ReplyDelete::appreciating how powerful self-care practice the daily writing has been
ReplyDeleteYes and yes! Love how you formatted this slice. Congratulations on writing every day!
I love sitting beside you on that living room sofa and celebrate that you could push aside last week and the upcoming week to focus on Right Now. And somehow I knew it would end with a cup of tea. Cheers to a new week!
ReplyDeleteI love this line: "I feel squished between the past and the future week" and then also this one: "Staying in the now allows me to expand the space and time I am in and I don't feel so squished anymore. " It is always such a treat to read your writing.
ReplyDeleteTerje, reading your post is always so calming. I am writing a slice tomorrow with a variety of quotes from slicers' slices. I have chosen one of your thoughts to add to the poem (with credit to you). Thank you, my friend.
ReplyDelete