In October, I’m a charged particle frantically going in one direction hoping not to overload my circuits and short out or go up in flames. So, I know I must take out a little time for myself to hideaway and enjoy autumn’s splendor.
Category: mindfulness
Leaf Peepers
As soon as I saw the mountains, my shoulders dropped and my spirits soared. The beauty I saw was healing and restorative. I was reminded just how wondrous our little planet is, and that no matter how busy we are, our little blue and green Earth keeps on spinning. The rotating seasons and give us a splendid art show.
Refill Your Cup: Finding Balance in Teaching
This week, my joyful moment came in the form of a little second-grade girl named Victoria. Victoria rarely smiles and usually speaks in a whisper. Her writing, however, is full of sophisticated humor. I know that there is a sparkly little girl inside her somewhere.
Look up! A Supermoon!
This week the moon is on the rise. It is a full harvest moon and a lunar eclipse. It is magical and wonderful to take a moment and gaze up into the night sky as the moon ascends. I told a group of kindergarten students to be on the watch for it, and they came back the next day to tell me what they saw.
What Makes You Happy?
I know I must start every day with gratitude, blessed to work in a place with such lively spirits. So many times, it is the children who have shown me the way to happiness. So many times, their fresh way of seeing things has given me pause and made me laugh.
Journey to the Land of Wild Blueberries
I know Maine is renowned for its lobster, and I do enjoy that treat dipped in drawn butter. I confess, I’d like almost anything if it was dipped in melted butter. But on this trip I focused on the blueberries. Even though in late August the wild blueberries are gone, I marveled at all the wild blueberries bushes that line the trails. They seemed to grown everywhere.
Cultivating a “Make Lemonade” Mindset
Cultivating a “Make Lemonade” mindset is very appealing to me. I work with children who have learning differences and developing this kind of mindset is essential to them keeping motivated and engaged. I want to provide them with a path that says, “Okay, it’s hard for you to do this one way. What other ways can you create to help yourself? What can you do with what you know to be successful?” Presenting children with a “Make Lemonade” path, is very empowering.
What is Writing? – The Work of Lynda Barry
Knowledge is power, and reading is the main way to gain knowledge. This is something that was instilled in me from a young age. And though throughout my childhood, reading took hard work, I became an avid reader. I loved that reading took me away from my suburban life and transported me to so many different places and experiences. Reading made me a writer.
Mindfulness Mandala
There are moments that we will never forget in our lives, some are traumatically stamped there, and some, like this one, are placed indelibly as a mile marker of hope. As I age, I find myself searching my memory more and more for those hopeful mile markers.
Pomodoro Fresco: A Love Story
My heritage is Italian, so naturally I love tomatoes. I’m sure there are people of Italian heritage who don’t like tomatoes, but I haven’t found one yet. My love of tomatoes surely came from my grandfathers, Charlie and Tony, who both kept their own gardens.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 