Changing of the seasons

A coworker of mine stopped by my room today, looking a bit down. A short conversation later he confessed to me that he almost hadn't made it through the previous day. For those of you who don't know, I teach seventh grade in a small town in the western part of North Carolina. My compadre was another teacher of those rambunctious creatures we call pre-teens.

I asked him, "Those kids giving you a hard time?" Many beginning tachers get so caught up in lesson development, they neglect the most important aspect of teaching- managing student behavior.

"No, the kids are fine. I don't know what it is. I think I might be feeling homesick for the first time since I moved up here from Fayetteville."

That's something different entirely. If your head's not in the teaching game, it's only a matter of time until those kids will eat you up, regardless of your management skills.

"You know," I told him, "the weather took a real change yesterday. The pressure's been dropping and it's colder outside than it's been yet this year. You think that's got anything to do with it?"

"Now that I think about it," he replied, "that's probably it. I guess it was just a reminder of the cold winter to come. Everything's going to be so grey and dead looking. And I've always hated the cold. I'm not even sure why I came to live in the mountains in the first place."

"I grew up in Colorado," I replied, leaning back in my chair, "and I learned to appreciate and even love the cold. I love seeing the trees without their leaves. They show off more of their character when you can see their trunks and branches reaching high over head. You can see more birds when the leaves are gone. I love that first deep cold breath in the morning that makes you cough and feel truly awake for the first time that day. Even the stars at night are clearer and more brilliant."

"Yeah, that's true. I do like that brisk alert feeling you get from being in the cold," he agreed.

"And being at school, this constant threat of getting snow days off brings a real sense of excitement- especially amongst the teachers! When those flakes start flying, you can feel the energy in the school change."

"That's true too. Maybe I just need to wrap my head around this new climate."

"Sure. It'll take a little getting used to. You can do it. It's all in how you look at things."

"That's true. Alright, I'll give it a try. I signed on for at least a year, anyways."

I've always loved the four distinct seasons we experience here in western North Carolina. But it can definitely be challenging. Maintaining that positive head space is crucial in enjoying the different beauty each season offers. This fall, we've had one of the most beautiful leaf changes I've seen since I've been in North Carolina. The beauty is truly wonderous. I'll never forget the golden leaves dropping like flakes of gold in the afternoon sun. I only hope my teacher friend can find a bit of beauty to hold on to before being overcome by his homesickness. It'll be his best hope.

Be well my friends. Enjoy this coming winter!

(ps. We've got some Seasonal Affected Disorder homeopathic remedies if you're interested. Just check out the links on the right side of the page.)