Open Forum

The end of the year...a time for us to pause and reflect, a time to prepare for the coming year.  Hopefully a pause in the hurried lives we live.  For some of you, the semester has ended.  For others, you will wrap everything up in January.

No matter where you are in the school year I urge you to take a moment (or 30 moments), to work on that old thing called "self care."

Speaking (or rather, writing), as someone who is now long retired but has "been there, done that," I urge each of you to take time away from your busy day and pay attention to yourselves.   Try to do, or find, the things that re-energize you, that feed your passions and take away the stresses.  Not only will it make your life better, but you will be a better  teacher and educator.  Remember that all of your experiences in life, no matter how unrelated to the profession, make you whole.  Care for yourself as well as you care for your kids.

I wish you all a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy, stress-free New Year!

Marilynn S. Zeljeznjak

Retired CA State Thespian Director