Reverb 10 #5 : Letting Go

"When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us."
- Alexander Graham Bell

Reflecting on what I have let go of this year, I am remembering that the whole process of letting go and slow and steady. I like to believe that once I do the rituals, say the tossing and deleting of old photographs or burning old letters, that I have some how purged myself of all those emotions and the hurt, but you know, that's not true at all. Those things are still there and sometimes they come creeping back up at the most inopportune moments. I have to remember that "letting go" doesn't happen in one moment, it happens in many moments and sometimes over many years, and that is ok.

In my career, I have learned that I have to let go of this "image" that I think an educator should be. I can be myself. This year, I have been so much more comfortable in my own skin. I know, my classes are kind of a jumble of energy but for the most part, my kids are great and participate, learn and have fun. I think, I sort of had this idea that a teacher/educator had to be strict, serious, and almost scary, like in the book Miss Nelson is Missing! by Harry Allard. But I'm not like that at all. I share. I laugh. I joke. I'm probably too nice. But that's my personality and it's ok. I can be this way. There is room for it and it makes my class fun for me and my students.