This past weekend Mother Nature reminded us who was in charge. Over 2 feet of snow fell in our area, causing everything to come to a standstill. The snowfall canceled travel plans, a presentation at a conference and a much anticipated dinner with some of my idols in the literacy field. Being someone who would much rather be basking in 80 degree temperatures rather than shoveling mountains of snow, I was a bit grumpy over all of this white stuff.
But then I realized that being forced to slow down was maybe the best thing that could have happened to me right now. I’ve spent hours on my couch, with my puppy in my lap reading a wonderful book. The Help by Kathryn Stockett has been sitting on my bedside table since Christmas – always getting pushed aside by other things I had to do. How wonderful to read for hours on end, with nowhere to go and nothing to do! I don’t give myself that gift very often.
I’ve enjoying walking in the snow, slowing down to take pictures and marvel at how beautiful this all is. How fabulous that it brings people out into the streets, stopping to chat, checking in on each other, helping with the shoveling, making snowmen, sledding and making snow angels. It’s like everyone is a kid again, moving at a slow pace – enjoying life.
I’ve spent a lot of time with friends in the past 4 days – so lucky that I can walk to many of my friend’s houses! And how wonderful that this time was spent truly enjoying each other, without the worry of all that I should be doing for school, home, etc… It’s been so nice to reconnect with people (and myself) and just relax.
I don’t think I realized how stressed I’ve been, how preoccupied I’ve been and how much I had really lost the focus of what’s important until Mother Nature stopped everything and made the world slow down. What a gift this has been. I feel rejuvenated, refreshed and reconnected to what really matters in my life – family, friends, nature. And I also feel a renewed energy for teaching.
How can we build this lovely “slowing down” into our professional (and personal) lives on a daily basis – without the help of 2 feet of snow? That’s my goal.
