How I Continue To Breathe

I'm exhausted. Utterly exhausted. My day today was crazy. I had duty this morning so I had to race to get to school on time. I was in a PBS conference all day yesterday so I had to clean up from the sub. Additionally, I am in charge of the scrapbook we are giving our principal as a good-bye present so I spent 2 hours making that this morning (as I was running literacy centers: good thing my kiddos have learned how to take directions well!). Then I had a meeting with a parent. Then I worked through lunch as I have a school-visit on Monday and have to get sub plans ready. Then I taught the kids how to add quarters and half-dollars. Then I had a meeting with the interm-principal and the PBS team. Then I had to get the room cleaned up and the kiddos out the door. Then I had to set up my room for the Volunteer Appreciation Tea we host every year. Then I had to race downtown to pick up Maelin. Then we played at the mall for a while. Then I came home and she "helped" me water the flowers. ("Mae Mae do it!!" as she gets the hose and puts water everywhere). Then I got her ready for bed and sang to her while she fell asleep. Then I started some laundry. Then I worked on her 2 Year Questionnaire for her 2-year check up next week. Then I pulled out my laptop and started working on my latest book orders.

Then I stopped. I just wanted to sit still for a minute. Whenever I'm totally stressed out and lose sight of what really matters to me, this picture is what I think about. (I should preface this with no, it's not a picture of MaeMae. Of course she's the most important thing in the entire world to me and is the reason I do what I do every day and is my reason for continuing to breathe...) but she's not what I thought about tonight as I forced myself to breathe. This picture below is what I thought about:


I took this shot in Sorrento, Italy in 2005 when I went for a week with my girlfriends. Sorrento is on the Amafli Coast: directly across the bay from Naples and just up the coast from Positiano (the famous hill town featured in lots of movies..."Under the Tuscan Sun" had a bunch of scenes there). Anyway, this is my FAVORITE town in Italy. Bar none. Even beats out Venice. This shot was taken around 9pm as we were heading out to dinner. You can walk everywhere in Sorrento and it is the lemoncello capital of Italy. Never indulged in this Italian treat? You are missing out. Next time you are at a real Italian restaurant (Olive Garden doesn't count), check the dessert menu for this treat. Order it COLD and with an espresso. Alternate sips between the cold, alcoholic, lemony-sweetness and the bitter heat of the espresso and oh...you will be experiencing just a small amount of the true Italian lifestyle.

So why do I think about this picture when I'm insanely crazed and busy? Because it grounds me. After the time I spent teaching in Italy, I learned how to stop and just take it all in. Italians do not rush around like we do. They can't do errands at lunch because everything is closed for siesta. No biggie...I'll just go home and drink some wine or birra (beer) and wait for them to open tomorrow. Busy at work? Too bad...it's time to go home and I'm going so I can spend time with my family and drink some more wine or lemoncello.

This picture reminds me of what is important because when I see it, I'm instantly transported away from my crazy classroom. Away from the bills I still need to pay, the Mother's Day card that is going to be late getting to my mom this year. Away from the laundry and away from the "should dos", "could dos" and "need to dos." It brings me back to the place where I am sitting on a sidewalk cafe with my lemoncello and my espresso watching the sunset. Watching the old men play checkers. Watching the children play with the dogs as their "nonnas" water the flowers that are hanging off of their balconies. The sun is setting behind me, the breeze is blowing, the smell of lemons, flowers and the sea is in the air and no one is rushing to be anywhere because everyone is just where they want to be.

Exactly where they are. No one is forcing themselves to breathe here.