A mid-July encouragement for teachers

As teachers, we all know what mid-July means. School is literally right around the corner. We have to get back into a routine of earlier bedtimes, earlier alarms, etc., and get our brains back into work mode. We start to mentally scramble, wondering if we got everything done and used our "time off" as productively as we could (and, of course, we often then cower in shame over all the time we "wasted"). 

I love summer time more than anything. I'm an introvert who loves silence and soaks up the opportunity to just spend time alone. My creative juices flow when it's quiet and no one is around. Now that I no longer have children to tend to at home, summer looks a lot different and gives me plenty of time on my own or time to just catch up with a friend or two. Teaching bilingual students is very rewarding and enjoyable to me, but it definitely takes a lot out of me. What I hate about summer is the guilt I always start to feel around this time, guilt that I didn't use the time as wisely as I could have. 

So today I forced myself to just go sit out on my porch and spill my thoughts onto paper to make them rhyme. A habit/hobby I haven't dabbled with nearly as much as I used to, but a habit that has always been very therapeutic and meaningful to me. 

Was It Enough?

Midway through July,

summer break nears its end.

How many more times

can I schedule coffee with a friend?

Random lunch dates,

appointments any time,

to live with so much flexibility

makes the summer life sublime!

I curled up with books,

went for long walks outside.

I breathed in the silence,

let nature be my guide.

I traveled out of the country

and took a family trip to the beach.

I took a lot of pictures

to keep the memories within reach.

I cleaned out the closets,

reorganized several rooms,

tackled time-consuming projects,

left the smell of fresh paint fumes. 

Now August quickly approaches,

and my mind is back on school.

I ask if I did enough,

my question proving me the fool.

Summer's not about accomplishments

or a time to get it all done.

It's about a mental reset,

time to relax and have some fun. 

A chance to step out of the classroom,

to stop assuming so many roles,

to take off our many hats,

to recharge and refill our souls. 

With all the weight a teacher carries, 

A full battery is required.

A summer break will be necessary

until we are retired.

Teachers operate on full-speed,

endlessly giving from a heart so large.

Taking guiltless time for yourself

is a perfect way to recharge.