Week 9.
Well friends, we made it. We survived the past 2 months of homeschool and the finish line is in sight. There were some days and weeks that flew by and others that dragged on like we were living in quicksand. But it's here. The light at the end of the tunnel is nigh.
I read a quote this week that said, "If you're brave enough to start, you're strong enough to finish." --Gary Ryan Blair
I started to think about any race I have entered, any baby I have carried in my belly, any sickness I have endured, and I realized how every single one of those things felt so scary at the beginning. The stress, the nerves, the anxiety, the nausea...and yet, every time, I somehow managed to push through to the end. This time has been no different.
And just like in any race (or delivery room), it's always so much more helpful to have some people cheering on the sidelines. We are all cheering for you (and ourselves, let's be honest) to make it down this final stretch!
I remember after 10 hours of hard labor with my first baby, I was feeling spent. Past exhausted. The point where you just don't know if you can keep going. With my eyes closed, trying to stay as much in the zone as I could, I asked my midwife..."is it 15 more minutes or 15 more hours?" If it was 15 more minutes, I could probably dig down to the very depths to make it through, but if it was 15 more hours, I was going to need some help.
That part of labor is called Transition. It's the time where you want to give up and everything inside of you is screaming at you to quit, but it's also the very last stage before the baby is born. It means you are almost there.
I didn't know that at the time, but my midwife did. She looked at me and smiled, as she said, "it's just 15 more minutes, sweetheart."
All of you teachers have been carrying our babies in your classrooms and in your hearts for the past 9 months. You have cared for them, helped them, in the case of my kids--broken up fights with them or chased them down the halls. You have given it your all and I know you are exhausted. More tired than you have ever been, because you're also dealing with a global pandemic in your spare time. But this is the last metaphorical 15 minutes...and you can do it.
And in these moments when even 15 minutes feels like it might be too much, just remember why you held on this long...
Thanks for holding on for our kids. For your love of teaching. For choosing a career that matters in the world. For the first time in my life (as a homeschooler), I finally understand the labor of love a teacher truly gives. Thank you for all of that. We are better because of you.
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