In ten minutes my classroom will be filled with Grade 5 students. I will spend my day helping my students become better readers, writers, artists, scientists and mathematicians. I will encourage them to spend time at home after school reading, writing, and studying. This is where my brain gets stuck for a moment. I always thought I would be the type of teacher who practices what he preaches. If I expect my students to spend 20 minutes every night reading, I too should be opening a book and reading. And yet, especially during the week, I rarely spend any time reading. The same goes with writing.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love falling into a good book and spending time writing but… who has the time to do such things? My evenings are typically filled with preparation for the next school day, making/eating supper, working out and spending time with my wife. Where am I to squeeze in moments of reading and writing into my everyday life?
Before I started my weightloss journey many years ago (read about it here if you’d like), I had the exact same excuse for not starting: I do not have the time. What I have learned is that there is always time if you make it. Somehow I managed to find almost an hour, six days a week, to spend time focusing on my health. I need to start making time for reading and writing. I love these activities and I miss doing them regularly. It is easy to make excuses why I don’t have the time to do them, but I want to live a life that doesn’t have any excuses.
The bell has rung and students are beginning to fill our classroom with their chatter and excitement for the day. I am amazed how as I do my best to teach and encourage them, they always seem to teach and encourage me.
The Gneighbourly Gnome 