Sunday, July 24, 2011

Change

Change is approaching. I can feel it...or I should say, I have felt it for sometime now. Not only change in my physical place of belonging, but change within me. Have you ever felt that in life, you are either moving forward, moving backward, or somewhere in between, waiting for either the forward or backward to happen? I've been in the "in-between" stage for sometime now. It's not an easy place to be. It's uncomfortable, it's hard, it's vulnerable. I am excited to move forward, excited to see new possibilities lie before me, excited to let go of the complacency that I have experienced. Life is good. And mine? Well, I am choosing my life to be a good one. A good, good life!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Sometimes...

Sometimes...

...I need a good workout at the gym, or a hard, long run to make me feel like I'm me again.
...I wish I already had my Master's degree (but I'm grateful for the chance to work towards it now!)
...I crave and adore naps!
...I feel like I fail my students. But most of the time, I feel like I'm making a difference in the lives of the children I teach, in a job that I love SO much!
...I just really need to laugh so hard that my stomach hurts and tears fall down my cheeks (thanks to living with the funniest roommate ever!)
...I want to stay in bed all day and read a really good book, or watch my favorite TV shows, one right after the other.
...I observe the world around me, and am amazed at the beauty that is everywhere!
...or all the time, I am really, really grateful for true, wonderful friends. I tell you what, being 29 and single is the best when you are surrounded with the best of friends!
...I like to go to movies alone.
...I crave Jimmy John sandwiches (don't worry, I got my fix today!)
...I love to be a girly girl, and shop for high heel shoes, purses, earrings and dresses.
...I miss my grandma so much.
...I think about memories I have shared with my family and it comforts me when I feel alone or far away from them.
...I want to get a kitten for myself. Yes folks, I have become a pet person!
...I go for long drives alone, blaring my music and singing along so loudly that I tune everything else out.
...I secretly love to watch the Disney channel.
...I need to reflect on my blessings so that I can be a better Positive Polly and not a Negative Nancy!
...I just need to talk to someone and have them just listen.
...I spend hours looking at first grade teaching blogs. There are some really creative people out there and I benefit from their sharing of their creativity!
...I blog about random things in hopes of becoming a better writer!

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Truth Is Beautiful

I am currently taking the class Teaching Effective Writing Instruction. And I'll be completely honest, I have been scared for a few months to take this particular grad class because I feel like I struggle as a writer, and teaching writing is my weakest area in teaching. But in the short amount of time I have been in the class, I'm really starting to open up to writing and to the possibility that I can actually be a good writer. All writing is, is telling a story...MY story. There's so much that happens around me, and how I react to it, that I can write about!

I decided that once a week (or more, depending on how I feel), I will open up and just write on my blog. Because I can't be a better writer and a better teacher of writing if I don't write often and push myself to do it!

Today I laid below the big beautiful tree in my backyard while listening to the song Dream by Priscilla Ahn. I got lost in the lyrics, and thoughts about my life. I wish that I had taken more time to do that-to just be alone in my thoughts, lost in beautiful music, while lying under that tree that I'm going to miss so much. There is power in being alone in meditation. It brings you to the core of you. And there is power in music. I love the way that music expresses what is in my heart when my words lack. I love how the melodies of songs are like my heart being poured out. What a gift it is to have music as a way of expression!

Here's to allowing more time for myself to meditate, hopefully I can incorporate it daily! Enjoy the song. Get lost in the lyrics. It's powerful!