I've had enough! Enough of long days that start at 5:45 a.m. and end at 11:45 p.m. Enough of year-end programs. Enough of potluck meals after year-end programs. Enough tests. Enough of begging students to get that last paper in. Enough phone calls from parents. Enough!And yet not enough. The end of the year is always a bittersweet time for me. The last few days are so stressful that they can't end soon enough. And yet there is always the knowledge that it is the end of my time with some of the kids, and I never am happy about that. Or rarely.
Since Sunday afternoon, I have sat through, or been involved in, three graduation programs, a year-in-review slideshow, two awards assemblies, two faculty meetings, a personnel committee, a finance committee, three student final project presentations, and an honors project presentation. I have one more awards assembly and four more graduation programs to get through before this coming Sunday ends.Sigh.
The best program was the first, last Sunday, when my nephew graduated from 8th grade. The whole family was there for it, which was the best part. David played his cello, just like his sister did for her 8th grade graduation 6 years ago. He played equally as well as she did (and she was outstanding). This time, she sat in the audience, very proud of her brother. We all were.This morning, our chaplain gave his last student worship (he is moving to CA in a week). He reminisced about all the things they have done together in the four years he's been here. He closed by telling a story that ended with this interesting poem by Bob Perk:
I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright.
I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun more.
I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive.
I wish you enough pain so that the smallest joys in life appear much bigger.
I wish you enough gain to satisfy all your wanting.
I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.
I wish you enough "Hello's" to get you through the final "Goodbye."
I wish you enough of all the above and more. But most of all, I wish you God's peace and love.
3 comments:
what a nice poem--I'm going to pass that along. My husband teaches high school and so we are in "year end" mode around here too. Tonight is graduation and next week finals for the undergrads. So, it won't be long--do you have leisurely summer plans?
Ha, Rondi! It's fun to read about the teacher/principal perspective about the end of school. It doesn't seem possible--yet I know it's true--that David graduated from 8th grade! It seems like yesterday that he was in my mom's classroom.
What a beautiful group of young people! You can be so proud --- they look amazing!
This coming week-end our youngest graduates from community college --- then off to the university next year where his brother goes to school. It's a final celebration mixed with some sadness for me, as I determined my role as a home educator was to get them through high school and then transition them through the associates degree at cc. With the last one done --- I am seeking my new role in life. I'm sure God has great plans and I just have to discover them.
LaTeaDah
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