Slice of Life Tuesday: If You Listen Carefully….

…..the silence is beautiful.

This is my first blogs of the New Year. I’ve not made a resolution. I’ve not made a One Little Word. I’ve been kicked in the stomach sick the past week. Cough. Fever. Lack of appetite. Today is the first day in a long time that I’ve felt like living a normal life (and yesterday was a school day!).

So, this morning, when I got up late (because of the newly fallen snow) and came across a meme on Facebook with the quote, “If you listen carefully the silence is beautiful,” pictured in a snow-white picture, with a fence almost covered to the top, and an old oak tree, it just stopped me in my tracks.

As I was sitting in our sunroom, watching the snow blow past, I realized how much I needed silence right now. I’m on social media, trying to be a good role model for students and parents alike. Yet, I’m finding it harder to be that role model with all the absolute garbage being spewed. I try to be a good husband and father, and I feel that that space is crowded with school and house stuff (we replaced our furnace as I was home sick on Friday), and the noise of a country that is so turned around that those who created it would never recognize it today.

Sitting there, with a soft music playing, the silence WAS beautiful. It was calming and helped to ease my soul, if only for those few minutes before grades, taking notes for this blog, and other things started crowding into my head.

I went out later and accepted the noise. I had to clear the driveway so we could get out tomorrow morning, so I had music playing and the snowblower running, and it was ok.

As we go forward into 2024, listen. Listen when your mind tells you it needs quiet. Listen when your mind tells you to take a break. Use the sick day. Use the personal day. Use your vacation days.

Care of yourself, now more than ever. I know that it’s mainly teachers who read this, but we are ALL under an enormous amount of stress. With the state of our country politically, we all are subjected to noise from all sides. Be brave enough to turn it off every once and a while. We need all of you to be at your best as we go through 2024. Regardless of what field you are in, we need you.

So, go find your silence. Go find that beauty.

We need all of you this year for sure!

Besides, who else will read this stuff? 🙂