introspective tuesday

I went to a retirement party yesterday. The shout-outs and speeches given by the retiring teachers were beautiful and touching. One thing that resonated with me was a quote from a teacher who is closing the door of academia and moving on to different things. She said, "And as I look back at all of my coworkers and friends that I love here, the students I have made a difference to, and the joy I have in my heart for this job, I realize that this was time well spent."

The last few words are special to me because too often I see people (including myself sometimes), trying to get to the end of everything - the end of the day, the end of the week, the end of the month, etc. Sometimes it seems like we are constantly chasing things that we haven't reached yet. It's important to sit back and enjoy the here and now. After all, it's the only thing that is promised to us and the only thing we can control. To me, savoring the little things and expressing true gratitude for what you have in life and who you love is something that should be done every day. I don't get too mushy often but I wanted to spread my feelings : ) Slow down & enjoy what you do.