March 2024 SOLC–Day 22
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org
It’s 1:53 am.
I’m snuggled in a nest of blankets, warm and cozy. The cat is curled atop them, between me and my husband. I feel her legs twitching madly in her sleep, and wonder idly if her dreams are pleasant or disturbed. Is she running toward something or running away?
Moments from yesterday drift through my mind, like a reel of bloopers at the end of a movie. Funny moments. Concerning ones. Mistakes. Triumphs.
It’s been a long, long week, and the last two weekends have been held hostage by work overflow. All the regular culprits–report cards and comments, conference prep, regular planning, etc. Thank goodness it’s Friday, with a weekend to follow. I’m ready for the break. I just need to get through today. Ew. I don’t like thinking that way–wishing a day away–but there it is.
The windows rattle with a gust of wind. It’s so cold outside. Recess duty will not be pleasant today! They’re forecasting snow for Saturday. Up to half a foot! We should go grocery shopping tonight. Maybe we can make soup. I know I have some good bread in the freezer. Depending on the roads, we might have to wait to get our tax information to the accountant until Sunday…Ugh, I still need to pull all of that together. Do I even have everything? Do I know where it is? I need to read over the new reading unit this weekend, and prepare to launch it next week. The new writing unit will follow all too shortly afterward. I feel the weekend slipping away, and sense the onslaught of the coming weeks looming. How many weeks is it until spring break? Didn’t we just have a break?
I sigh and pull the covers up around me. Take a deep breath. Roll over and find a comfortable position.
I hear Kurt breathing softly beside me. Through the covers, I can feel the weight and warmth of the cat. She is resting peacefully now. Her nighttime adventures are a thing of the past.
Outside, the wind still howls intermittently, rattling about. Slight drafts curl in around the edges of the windows in our old home. But I’m safe. I’m warm. I still have hours to sleep.
And so I do.
Nix the comfort zone 
You show us your racing thoughts despite the safe comfort of your bed. We all know those moments- when “we feel like the weekend is already slipping away” and it’s not even here yet! I really hope you did go back to sleep. That part is always much harder.
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That slipping away weekend feeling is NO fun!
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I had those racing thoughts processing the events of the day, the cat even. And I love the comment about already wishing a day away. Yesterday I said to my teacher-friend in the lounge, “I need to make a list of 10 things that are good right now.” Because I couldn’t get myself out of the rut of feeling I just wanted to be home in my bed with my cat. I curse myself because I am the very person doing this to myself.
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I like how you deliberately challenged yourself to focus on some positives. It can be challenging to be upbeat. I will try your 10 things idea the next time I find myself dwelling in the negatives.
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I love the honesty of wishing a day away. I do this, too…..the constant details, the list of pressing things I don’t want to do because I’d rather be in the warmth of sunshine somewhere watching butterflies and birds and basking in the comfort of warmth, soaking in some Vitamin D. I like how you create that feeling of blanketed comfort and the divine medicine of sleep. Sleep…..aaahhhhhhh, such a gift.
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Sleep is such a gift, isn’t it!?
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I appreciated the way you bookended this slice.
We’re supposed to get a lot of rain. 18” is a lot of snow! Good luck!
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I appreciated the way you bookended this slice.
We’re supposed to get a lot of rain. 18” is a lot of snow! Good luck!
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For some reason the line “I still have hours to sleep” reminded me of Frost, “And miles to go before I sleep.”
I’m impressed that you were able to do. When I wake up and my mind spins with thoughts of everything coming up, I rarely can let it go.
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Often I can’t fall back asleep, but on this occasion I somehow felt buffered from my own list of worries and concerns.
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If it’s any comfort, I slept so much better once I retired from teaching. Small comfort? None? Sweet dreams.
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Thanks, Dan! l still have quite a few years to go though!
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Ah yes, those wee hours… Sometimes concentrating on the basics, “I am safe… I am warm….” is the only way to escape the endless thought loop.
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I tend to write poetry in my head, often acrostics. I put myself to sleep with my writing attempts! lol
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I can totally relate to your slice. There’s always so much to do in the life of a teacher (and never enough time to do it all!). I hope you were able to fall back asleep. Just remember to tackle one thing at a time. 🙏🏻
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It’s always easier to see the whole pile of things to do than to single out and tackle one at a time. Thanks for the reminder.
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The way you write this, it’s so real. Just enough details surround the rambling thoughts that pulled me right in. We’ve all definitely been there. So glad you were able to sleep after that! Falling asleep after waking up and listening to the mind race can be tricky! Thanks for sharing, Molly!
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Sleepless nights are no fun!
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I hope work doesn’t hold your weekend hostage again this week–I love that phrase by the way. Hang in there…spring break is on the horizon…
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I try to make sure my work worries don’t overwhelm my weekend, but even after all these years, I’m not very good at it!
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