After jumping in to
save her athlete,
Andrea Fuentes said-
'We push through limits
and sometimes we find
them.'
A practical response
to being asked about
Anita Alverez fainting
while swimming.
A practical response
that sits well with
the 'get things done'
crowd.
I try and think of
an educational
equivalent and come
up terrifically
short.
Go ahead, Google the
story. You'll see my
challenge.
What have we made
so common of an
occurrence, that even
we are tired of hearing
our stories?
There was once bounce
in our discussions,
in the trials, and
the tribulations of our day.
'Wow, what a story! Well let
me tell you what happened
today!'
I remember a time I could
show up at any party
and regale a moment
from school to the non
teacher crowd and it would
be met with astonished looks
and earnest OMG's.
Those days have passed.
Those stories have lost
their magic.
We float out of harm's
way the moment we lock
tired eyes with any
of our colleagues.
Something in this swimmer's
story rhymes with this time
of the year.
There are teachers I
know that are at their
limits.
Some are sinking.
Some have sunk before.
Some are seeking medical
counsel.
Some did not even notice
that they drowned.
And I just received
a message on one of my
digital classrooms-
'Hey cluff!
You ready for summer?'
I am not sure.
I am suddenly realizing
that each of us are so
deep in our stories-
that this year, even
these last two years,
has made our shared
experiences questionable.
It's funny though,
talking about trips,
and camps, and summer
plans has not made
my readiness any firmer.
Fuentes has said that
this is not the first
time her swimmer has
fainted during a
competition.
The drowning while
working metaphor is not
lost on me.
Two years of meeting
obstacles along a path
is not the same as
two years of achieving
goals.
Some time off from
being consumed by the
work; another metaphor
I know; would be a
nice change.
That is a summer
I am ready for.
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words keep wolves at bay 