Only Here for a Little While

Well, this really is the last day of freedom for me, the last weekend before school starts. Although the kids don't start until Wednesday there is still a very early Monday morning and work at school the rest of day and Tuesday, so a whole week of work I'm looking at, after about 10 weeks of Saturdays, essentially. This is Friday night, and Friday night I typically stay up late anyway, but I'm thinking about how I need to start going to bed earlier, as in earlier than 2:00 a.m. I should probably go to bed at least by 9:30 on Sunday night so I can get up at 5:30 to be at breakfast at the high school by 7:00 or so, or at least by 7:30 to get pancakes before the big meeting at 8:00 in the auditorium with the whole district, but that probably will not be possible because of a special church service we're invited to, and that is never over early enough for that. Well, that's what it's all about, working in education is just, I guess, what I was really created for. I've done other things, including playing music professionally a long time ago, thinking that was all there was to do in the world, but I found out it really isn't. I know it is for some people, but not for me, though I used to think it was. A long time ago, the first wife of a Hall of Fame songwriter and my roommate's mother, when I was living in Nashville, said to me, "You know, there are other things to do besides music," and I didn't want to hear that, and I didn't want to believe that, but now I know it's true. There are other things, and I have done other things. It's been a long day. First, out to get my school picture taken, then to the grade school to get my new T-shirt to wear to the event on Monday morning, then to the library to take a book back and choose another one, then to the optical shop to get my other new pair of glasses adjusted, they were killing my skull behind my ears. I had to wait about half an hour, thank goodness I had a book. It's always something with glasses. But it was actually great to see everyone at the building, and to come back in the evening and see a bunch of kids and parents. It's going to be a great school year. I love my job. I never thought I could love any job but playing music, and it was very cool, but now I sing at the retirement home once a month, and that's better. I would never have believed it back in the day, but it's true. I paused while was writing this to look at a post on Facebook by a person I recently became friends with describing sadness about a transition involving a certain little boy she will not be able to see as much now that school is starting again. There are so many different passages of life we all experience, yet the emotions are similar. And... We're only here for a little while. Times like this remind us of that. Some people experience the brevity of life with their own children growing up too fast. Others, like me, experience children by the dozen, slipping in and out of my life like colorful threads in a burlap weaving. But, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't have it any other way. I need to close. Goodnight.