Yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation with some wonderful people about taking the time to step back, be present and truly get in tune with our senses - all five of them. If you really think about it, how often do you really do this? How often are you keenly aware of yourself in the moment? I thought about that conversation on my run this morning, therefore prompting me to truly feel, see, hear, taste and smell my morning routine. What a blessing.
While proctoring an AP exam today, I had much time to think (as we all do when proctoring all these tests!)... and as I sat there today, I thought about how I most often do not stay "present" while I am at work. There is always something to get done next, something that I forgot to do, or a student that needs immediate attention. Even as I write this, I constantly flip back and forth between what I am doing and the things that pop into my mind - what I could be doing.
Wouldn't it be nice if we could be present and stay present... at work? Since that is not often possible, I thought I'd at least take a step back today to reflect on what I might be missing when I'm not always "all there" with my senses. There were so many that I though of, but a short list seems fitting for these purposes:
1. The sound of laughing and conversation in the hallways. This is the sound of students who are connecting with one another in positive ways.
2. The sight of my students, thinking hard - racking their brains for just the right response on a test or paper or homework assignment. This is the sight of learning. Isn't that what we're here for? I take this for granted way too often.
3. The taste of my morning coffee. What a treat in the middle of an otherwise chaotic day. Do I even taste this on a typical day, or just suck it down as a "necessity"?
4. The feel of my space heater blowing on me just when I've frozen my fingers off at a meeting outside of my office. What a blessing that I've been able to keep this in my office. My administrators know how "cold-blooded" I am!
5. The smell of the cafeteria... especially on the days when the kitchen staff makes coffee cake! Yum! I can hardly walk by without stopping to say something or wishing that smell was lingering down in my hallway too!
What are you missing when you don't take note? Something positive, I bet! :)
P.S. The conversation about senses was sparked after reading a really great book called "The Art of Hearing Heartbeats" by Jan-Philipp Sendker. Check it out here: The Art of Hearing Heartbeats - Book Link
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