Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Sauntering & Wandering In The Woods

One of the best parts of being a teacher is the rest and rejuvenation that comes during the Winter Break. This year I definitely felt it more than ever before with the exhaustion that has come from 2020, pandemic restrictions, the election, racial noise, hybrid teaching and more. 

Winter Break for me also took on an almost "supporting character" role, as we had to do a lot of rethinking about how best to celebrate the holidays in a physically distanced way. Plus, with more time on our hands due to not doing our traditional Christmas travel to visit my family, the 4 walls sometimes close in. After 9 months of pandemic restrictions and quarantining, we all know a little bit about that!

Of course, with it being winter, escaping the 4 walls becomes more difficult as the weather dictates what you can and can't do outside in a different way. With 40 degree weather dictating most of break, I found that you had to get more creative--or at least dress the part when going outside. Bundling up for bonfires & walks & other outdoor adventures was the way to go. For those of us who aren't fans of the cold, this provides some challenges. 

But, sunny days dressed accordingly made for good days for walkabouts, either alone or with friends. I had a couple of really great, rewarding, masked walking adventures with friends which served as a great way to unplug, catch up, soak in community, and commune with nature. I, too, personally agree with John Muir.

Take some time to reverently saunter and wander the woods this winter.




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