As I write this email, my wife is sitting next to me in her yoga pants and sipping her green juice "smoothie" (although it looks kind of chunky to me). She is reading her mindful magazine and practicing living in the moment. This is just a part of her daily wellness ritual. She is the picture of health and truly looks more youthful and beautiful each and every day. I genuinely respect and appreciate her approach to life, but have no desire to emulate it.
To me, her juice tastes like how I would imagine it would be to clean the underside of my lawnmower with my tongue. Yoga? Well, a couple of years ago I gave it a shot and let’s just say that there was a lot of swearing going on. After one particular session of colorful curse words my wife said, “I think you might be missing the point of yoga!” To which I responded, “I think you are missing the point. If the supreme being wanted my foot to go there, then he would have put it there.”
Needless to say, I am not a flexible person… physically, emotionally, cognitively, or well, in any other way.
I like things to be left they way I left them and in the place I put them. I like things to go as planned with few hiccups or surprises. I do not like beginnings or endings, they are messy and unpredictable. And despite my displeasure, here we are again at the beginning of another school year. Yes, today we all begin again...
Today is the first day of someone's new career/job.
Today is the first day of someone's retirement.
Today is the first day for your new students.
Today is the day someone will lose a leader and gain a new member.
With all of this messiness, might I suggest that you take a different path and less rigid path than me and celebrate these changes.
Today, let's celebrate the kids that walk through the door and not mourn those who don’t.
Today, let's let go of last year and embrace this one.
Today, let's not worry about "what will be” and enjoy "what is."
Today, Iet's be thankful that we teach music.
As I said, change is not easy for me. I get cranky when things are not as I like them. Full disclosure, I should admit that I have been taking Metamucil since the eighth grade, and want nothing more than for you to keep that infernal racket down as it is making it hard to hear the questions on Jeopardy.
As for the green juice and yoga pants… I will stick with my running shoes and bacon thanks.
Welcome back... We begin again, and I must admit, it feels pretty good.