When my son and I are wrestling, he's got a self-awarded superpower: any time he says, “Pause,” I've got to stop moving while he gets to reposition himself, readjust his cape, or (most frequently) obtain a lightsaber from his room.
“Pause!” he'll say with his almost-four-year-old voice. And off he goes to prepare for whatever he's got in mind next. And if I start to fidget, he'll say, “We're on pause!”
You and I, these next two weeks, need to say “pause” on whatever we can. Reposition ourselves, readjust our capes, obtain lightsabers. Rest. And when we start to fidget, let us remind ourselves: we're on pause.
I wish you the best during this holiday season. Be safe, be good. And remember that the work will still be there when we're back. May goodness and mercy follow you and your students these next weeks.
-Dave
P. S. The bipartisan Merry Christmas wishes at the start of these parliamentary proceedings made me smile this morning. TY to Kim Marshall for putting me on to this through his weekly memo.
I'm deep in research on a course about the inner work of teaching — the stuff that makes us the kinds of people from whom good work comes, for whom the fire stays kindled. It'll release in 2021, with limited spots. Waitlist gets first dibs.
Donna Walsh says
Thank you Dave. Blessings to you and yours. I love your words about pausing. It really helped!
Zachary Ripley says
Dave… that is literally the single most relatable way you could have conveyed this concept to me at this moment! I believe I experience near-identical wrestling dynamics with my 3 & 4.5yr olds *insert rolling laughing emoji*
So good. So true. Thank you!