Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Tuesday's Slice of Life- Solitude

    This is my first time ever linking up with Two Writing Teachers for their Tuesday's Slice of Life Story Challenge.  I am excited to join in this weekly linky and share a bit of my life with you!  
   
      As a teacher, during the school year I am always on the go.  I get up by 4:30 to go to the gym. I go to school about an hour early. I then rush around getting everything and anything ready. I teach until about 4 and then finish up some work. I come home and have dinner with my boyfriend and we talk about our days.  We watch some TV and mostly I work on school work for the rest of the evening.  Besides my morning workout, I rarely give myself a break. (I go through spurts where I try and change this, but it never sticks.)
     I just finished my tenth year teaching.  Last summer and this summer have been the only years where I didn't "work" and they have been absolutely amazing.  I can't tell you how refreshing it is to set my own pace, my own schedule, and have time to relax.  
     It was this past week, though, while running at the park, when I thought about solitude.  I spend A LOT of my time in the summer alone.  Ten years ago, I think I would have been dying to call friends to meet at the pool, but today things are different.  I spend SO much of my time during the school year with other people, that it is refreshing to just be.  I have posted pictures of this park before, but it truly is a place where I feel a sense of calm and pure solitude.  In the summer, I run here almost every day.  I am so thankful for these summers.  I know that in a month, my life will be filled with noise again and I am thankful for the solitude of these days.    




     Where do you go or what do you do to gain a sense of calming or relax your body and mind?  Don't forget to stop over and check out the linky by Two Writing Teachers.


10 comments:

  1. Love, love, love your pics. So excited you've joined SOL! I spent three years in 3rd grade job sharing a classroom - loved every minute! But my heart was in middle school, so I spent my 3rd and final round (nine years) in 6th grade. Glad you have time to relax and recharge! My favorite calming activity is walking and taking pics of the beautiful things I discover.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ramona! I am enjoying 3rd grade, too, but my heart might still be in first grade. :( We will see what my future holds! I also love discovering new/beautiful things on my runs and walks.

      Delete
  2. What a beautiful place to enjoy and explore solitude! I've been doing the same this summer and just finished posting about it. It's a luxury to move to your own beat and to set your own agenda after the non-stop whirl of school days. Quiet beckons to me these days and I, too, embrace it whenever I can.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Molly! I hope you are having a great summer.

      Delete
  3. Welcome to the slicing community! What a beautiful place you have to run! I have the same feeling of appreciating my aloneness because the intensity of being in the classroom uses up well spent energy. It feels so good to recharge during the summer!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Welcome to the slicing community! What a beautiful place you have to run! I have the same feeling of appreciating my aloneness because the intensity of being in the classroom uses up well spent energy. It feels so good to recharge during the summer!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Enjoying the pace of summer on your own timetable is the best! What a beautiful place to run! I love spending time on my patio in the backyard. The perimeter of the yard is all landscaped trees, so I feel quite secluded there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure your backyard is beautiful! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  6. Welcome to Slice of Life -- we look forward to connecting with you. Right now I on an island off Maine - Monhegan Island. No cars, no bikes, limited electricity. It is a wonderful place to slow down and find peace. It is so important to recharge. Enjoy your time.
    Clare and Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow! Getting up at 4:30 to workout is dedicated. I need to follow your path instead of making excuses. I get up at 5 every day but I like that quiet 30 minutes before getting ready for the day. I know if I wait until the end of the day to exercise, I easily have too many excuses to blow it off. I love the pictures of where you're running - beautiful! Definitely looks like a place to recharge.
    Janie
    Are We There Yet?

    ReplyDelete

Follow on Bloglovin