This was today’s daily note to my students and their families.
Hi folks,
We (CCHS) will be trying to contact students (yes – TALK TO YOU) today or tomorrow. We have a few questions that we’ll ask to help us figure out how to plan for the future.
In the meantime… Here’s a word for the day: “wend”.
This word means to “proceed toward” or “move in the direction of” or “make progress toward”. You would “wend your way to the finish line,” which is not the same thing as WINDing but rather MOVING GRADUALLY FORWARD. I’ve used it… like… twice :-) but it makes me think…
Years ago I ran marathons: Chicago six times, Austin once. I was a “mid-pack runner.” PR: just 3:42. Marathon running taught me two lessons which could be useful now…
1) One step at a time. You can’t think about the entire race all at once in a marathon. It’s 26.2 miles, and that’s just too far to grok (a word for a different day). Heck, 26.2 is too far even when you’re at 18 miles and the skyline of Chicago seems to be very far away! You take one step. Then you do it again. And again. – For now: Let’s not worry about when we’re going to be back at school. You shouldn’t worry about grades. We should just keep ourselves well and take it one day at a time.
2) Hold your head up. A long distance run is hard if you stare at your feet. Even if you’re committed to taking one step at a time, there are so many in 26.2 miles. If you dwell on each step, it seems like it’s taking forever. I found that my long runs and marathons went by faster (and more enjoyably) if I held my head up, and looked into the distance. – For now: Even though I’m taking one day at a time, I’m holding my head up. Sometimes I go and sit outside. I feel the sun and see purple spiderwort and verbena. I hear the wrens and robins. I talk to the dogs. And the days pass quickly.
If you can see this picture, here’s what I’m talking about.(If you can’t, it’s my cartoon dude running along a very long number line, head held high.)
Be well. You are still awesome.
