Race to the End

I'm sitting at my computer for a few quiet moments while my two kids are playing nicely in their bedroom. Who knows how long it will last? I'm trying to reflect on the imminent ending that awaits me at my school. Ten days from now it will be over (mostly). The Spring exams will be done, graduation will be over, the final in-service of the year will be complete and my 17 years of service will be essentially over, as well. Why doesn't it seem real?

I think I must be experiencing what some retirees experience. It just doesn't seem real at first. As a teacher I'm quite used to endings. I like both the beginnings and the endings that come with teaching. Each new school year I get a new batch of kids to meet, greet, and come to love. By the end of the year we've gotten to know each others quirks and idiosyncracies; we've come to appreciate each other. We've learned some things together, too. And then the end of the year comes. We say our good-byes and that is that. Perhaps we run into each other at the mall or the grocery store, but pretty much the relationship is over. I'm used to the rhythms of the school year; this feels much the same.

Yet different. The days are passing too quickly-racing by. I imagine the seniors are feeling the same. It's exciting and daunting at the same time. Endings and beginnings. Beginnings and endings.

PAUSE

I'm back. Since the last paragraph my two children have just run their first race. My husband came home saying their was a race just about to begin - 1 K sponsored by the Cellcom Marathon. Why not do it? They would race by age group, leaving the Lambeau parkinglot, running through the player tunnel and into and around Lambeau field, and back out again. The horn blew. They sped off with about 30 others not venturing into something new. Their hearts raced. Anna had to walk a bit; Alec did not. The finishline came soon enough. They both finished and they did great! They were so excited to get medals at the completion of the race. We were very proud of them. It was all over in a blink of an eye.

There must be an analogy in here somewhere, right? Funny how that works. This leg of my race is soon done.