Spinning into summer

The end of the school year has always provided a challenge for me. The silence of an empty room  has a certain poignancy about it. Leftover student projects litter the counters, like confetti after a ticker-tape parade. Empty hallways seem like medieval catcombs. And custodians begin clearing out rooms with a business-like efficiency.

There's also the letting go. Saying good bye to the many students I've developed relationships with;  saying goodbye to colleagues who've decided to move on; letting go of projects that have been in the works for several years; Letting to of a daily routine, which I have down to the minute due to my commute and class schedule. It all involves quite an adjustment. It used to be a  difficult transition for me, taking several weeks to slow down and adjust to my summer schedule. It doesn't take quite as long now, having cultivated the tools of mindfulness and relaxation. I think of my "school mind" as a spinning top, whirling from months of planning and thinking, that takes time to settle down to a new, quieter routine. The "habit energy" of a school year can be quite powerful. 

There's plenty to do in the summer, with a house and family to keep going. There's the inevitable planning and reflection that will happen. Some travel. Keeping up with the Kardashians is certainly a bit easier....Where student issues were a concern for months, now I think about the pesky weeds  growing in my garden. 

The energy of summer is different. Spinning top mind gives way to reflective mind, and the voices of nature- the wind, the rustling of leaves-  replace the voices of young people streaming through the hallways.