Nick’s Turn To Be Away...

It was Nick’s turn to be away and stay in a hotel bed tonight. He and some other Vice-Principals from Moncton were invited to Fredericton for some training in how to do a Principal’s Walkabout. (The term always make me think of the Australian native tradition rather than walking around a school...) This is two days full of lots of theory, practical evaluation, self-evaluation and from the sounds of it tonight on the phone, a very interesting if somewhat tiring learning experience.

It’s funny how well I understand the need to occasionally be reminded that you are an individual first. While you never sleep quite as well away from your own bed (except maybe on vacation) it is good to have some time in your own head space. I know that as busy as I am when I go away to Toronto, I like the time to be by myself on the airplane or in the hotel room at night. Nashville and Charlotte have always been different, because those aren’t shows I can do by myself.

Sometimes we keep busy so that we don’t have to spend that time being quiet and still... it is easier to just keep running at an impossible pace and then fall into bed each night only to rise and race again in the morning. You just get caught up in the movement instead of really being in the moment. I think we all need to take time to sit in silence now and then... some of my best ideas are born in those moments of quiet.

I am looking forward to a quiet house to work in tomorrow as well. Erin seems on the mend after 2 days at home with very little voice. She and Bethany were funny to watch today with the first dusting of snow outside... when we walked up to mail our letters to Santa, Bethany kept making up little snow songs that usually had lirics like “Snow... I missed you all summer.... you are back for the first time and I love you....Snow, wonderful snow!”

The first snowfall IS magical... We’ll see how I feel after the 50th! LOL!