Filled with gratitude and exhaustion as we near the finish line of the school year. The administration would like to announce that despite a recent decline in dirty clothes making it into a laundry basket and clean clothes not making it into drawers, the students have earned enough credits to be promoted. While the Real Boss has been under immense pressure to finish the school safety and discipline reports which might include 23 phone suspensions and 12 sent to rooms, she continues to grind away at driving the lacrosse and baseball teams across town. The Principal, meanwhile has an immense amount of vacation time to take, while he ponders his next move. Apparently, as the student body grows more self-sufficient, there is less on the Principal’s plate every day. Wally’s world will be filled with walks aplenty. Is it possible that the school year is really coming to a close?

Every June I stare into the abyss of free time and look to my Yankees for comfort. However, the Red Sox sweeping the Bombers in New York has dampened that spark of joy. Hopefully a temporary state. My father always says, this too shall pass. The pain. Not the Yankees. He hates them as much as the Real Boss does. SO, I will once again clean out the shed and seek solace in reorganizing the seldom used lawn care tools and bikes and musty camping items. Transitions can be mind resetting opportunities, but I like to organize the stuff of life while I contemplate the next steps of the journey. I envision stepping into a new school filled with the energy and lessons from a year running my own Academy. My perspective has grown wider and deeper, even if my eye‘ s own vision has not. Being able to be the Principal at home has given me a profound sense of gratitude and awe for all those who run their own shows by staying home with the students. I am in awe of those who can care for humans at home and maintain a job outside the home. Never mind teacher appreciation weeks, or Nurse’s Day, or Valentine’s Day, there should be a Stay at Home Parent’s day for all those who can balance life and laundry and lines at the grocery store with sanity.

Double the awe if the Caregivers are working in schools with kids by day and go home to kids at night. I shudder to think how much patience and dedication those people have. I suppose that’s another reason to be nice to the Real Boss when she comes home from teaching all day. Seeing as how I find the job at home overwhelming, I don’t know how she can find time to tie her shoes. Maybe that’s why she wears sandals?

Either way, June is a fine time to lay, lie or lounge in the Hammock of Contemplation. Here I might look pensive, but I am really just thinking. If you know what I mean. The branch that I stare at has grown the leaves I need for shade and comfort. I don’t know which direction my own branch is going to grow, but I hope I can find the sunlight as flawlessly as the one I stare at daily. The branch did not grow straight. But, it’s strong and has plenty of experience looking for sunlight in the constantly changing and challenging conditions of New England’s climate. Kind of like me. Strong foundation. Strong roots. And lots of experience looking for sunlight. So, as Wally and I commune with the branches of life, I hope the students of the world commence to grow strong, towards the light of their passion and purpose. Gee, I should go write a commencement speech now that I am on a roll…

Thanks for coming!