another year

One of my colleagues recently described how she no longer functions by the calendar year, but rather centers her life around the school year. Until now, I had not realized that I do the same. August to December, January to May is how I function. It has been nothing but school, school, school for the past eighteen years. And with my chosen profession, that is how it will continue to be. However, this semester is a bit different. It is officially my last semester of school as a student. Next semester will be spent in a student teaching position and beginning next fall I will be an actual teacher. It does not feel real. The worry of not knowing where I am going to be in a few months plus the load of an overly packed semester is enough to riddle me with constant anxiety. My roommates continually comment on how stressed I seem. And I suppose they're right. I have not felt relaxed since I moved back to Flagstaff mid-August. And being somewhat acquainted with myself, I am not sure I see any relief in sight. 

Thankfully, this year will be different in more ways than one. And the difference is people. People who make me feel cared for, and people I care for in return. People who make sure that I put the books down every once in a while in order to get some fresh air. People who make this place enjoyable and not just bearable. As Barbara Streisand once sang, "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world." 

And I am feeling pretty lucky.