I’ve driven by this field of deadish looking grass and wildflowers hundreds of times. It’s right behind our house. We pass it every morning and every afternoon, and multiple times on the weekend. But this afternoon? I yelled, “Pull over!” My husband is used to it by now. He knows what that means. I’ve spotted someplace to take photos. I jumped out and took some random shots of the tiny yellow wildflowers sprinkled all through the field. I found the bright red ones, just a few, nestled in the middle.
I know the end of the school year can be a challenge. The days become longer. The to-do list gets so out of control that you just aren’t sure what to try to accomplish in a day. You teach with the bittersweet thought that you’re about to say goodbye to another group that you’ve built a strong relationship with. It’s a happy, sad, exciting, and exhausting part of the year. But, take time to notice. The things you see everyday? Look closer. Slow down. Stop and have that conversation with a student. Look to see just how far your students have come this year. Celebrate their growth. Celebrate your growth. Take your class out for a picnic. Enjoy these last days of school. There is good all around you, if you take the time to look.
And I’m glad I did today. Those flowers? They were ordinary wildflowers. But I saw so much more when I really took the time to see them.
