Saturday mornings in my childhood home on Swather meant pancakes and cleaning. My mother kept to this routine until she and my father moved out of their Cutlerville home. Around 9 AM, she would turn the radio on to the oldies, get the sweeper out, and away she would go. If I decided to sleep in, too bad. The sound of the vacuum humming would greet me as my eyes opened to a new day.
Her cleaning routine taught me so much as I continue to work through the transition of principalship to the classroom. On some days, the two worlds collide. What am I supposed to be doing right now? Leftover principal tasks or planning for a new school year?
I am constantly searching for items I hurriedly moved two years ago when we left for Michigan. Where ARE my teaching posters? As I glanced around my former classroom, I realized that the cursive alphabet letters are gone. Where did they go? Did I move them somewhere in the school? I am also looking for home items as we prepare to move Corey to Purdue. Where DID I place some of these things?
But as I think about my mother, I remember her many routines. Her routines and checklists allowed her to complete the tasks she needed to accomplish. If she could not find something, she didn’t let it get to her and just said, “Oh well.” It’s something I need to remember, too. Thanks, Mom!
A Journey Worth Remembering 