In stillness

Blogging about my school experience is new to me and I'm enjoying the process.  I began blogging a few years ago.  At that time I blogged to help find my "center," to quieten myself,  to recharge.  As I thought about blogging at that time I was reading poetry.  I ran across this stanza in T.S. Eliot's work, The Four Quartets:

I said to my soul, be still ... So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing; Whisper of running streams, and winter lightning -  The wild thyme unseen and the wild strawberry, The laughter in the garden, echoed ecstasy ...

The stanza resonated with me at the time, and the name of my blog was identified.  It is in stillness that my soul finds delight.  I am an introvert ... not just shy ... but I am energized by being alone, finding time for personal quiet, dabbling in creative expressions.

And yet, I love teaching!  In fact, after being in administration for 12 years, I am choosing to go back into the classroom.  I enjoyed the work of a principal but I missed the interaction with students.  I am a bit apprehensive - feel like a "new" teacher even though I have been an educator for 30 years.

I know I'll have to work at creating stillness and quiet in my life.  Blogging again provides an avenue for reflective exercise.

Interestingly enough, I'm finding blogging to be a different experience this time around.  Not only is it a reflective exercise, but it is both creative and social.  Reading and interacting on other math teachers' blogs has been quite fun ... and certainly helpful!