Happy New Year! New Year, new month, new beginnings. Resolved: meditate daily and be kind. I've already broken both resolutions. Add to version 4 of "final" New Year list: confront failure with grace.
The typical school year differs from the calendar year. In school, January is mid year; over five more months of getting up early, attending classes, studying for exams, writing papers, forgetting to bring an umbrella to school when it rains. "In the bleak mid winter, frosty wind made moan/ Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone," the carol goes. After the hype and anticipation of the holiday season, a bit of depression arrives, otherwise known as "seasonal affective disorder." Gone are the excuses to eat Grandma's fudge and Aunt Lucy's pecan pie (the fudge and pie are gone already anyway because we ate them all up). We're advised to exercise, lose weight, buy full spectrum light bulbs, volunteer at our local charities.
These ideas indeed work well. But sometimes I prefer the animal kingdom's solution: hibernate. In January I find taking naps and going to bed at 7 pm helps. Being someone who doesn't dream much (or remember my dreams), I'm amazed lately by the creativity of my unconscious world. I'm also more appreciative than ever before of the brilliant visions no doubt hiding behind the eyelids of my sleeping students in class.
Ah, well. It's California, and in another month the fluffy pink plum blossoms will come out on our block. Global warming will bring early spring, the days will get longer and I'll have to stay awake at work. I think I'll just.. yawn.. put my head down.. here.. a ... second... l..ong.....er... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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