Perceptions

Today, my lead is the question that is lingering in my head all week.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with expectations you perceive other people have of you?  Specially at this time of year, I often do!
In my teaching world, the spring season brings not only nicer weather and more opportunities for outdoor recess!  It is the time when we start to see the end of the year in focus.  There are students who are making HUGE personal gains in reading and writing and yet, their parents (and I) want them to be "on level."  The students, in spite of all our work, are not yet there, but they are making progress.  At times, I feel like I should do more....
In my job as a professor, I TRY to be supportive and give feedback and opportunities to revise and to read and reread work.  In spite of all my efforts, I can't make everyone happy all the time.  At times, I wish there were more hours in a day!
In my home life, I try to be a  cheerful and supportive wife but it is hard when the papers and emails are demanding my immediate attention.  At times, I order Chinese food and at times I feel inadequate.
In my role of mother to adult children, I try to be a cheerful and supportive mother who is always there when needed, but it too is hard with busy lives and I think my children might see me as "too" busy.  At times, I feel inadequate.
In my roles of Auntie, Sister, Daughter, Niece, & Friend I have the same feelings at times.  If there were a few more hours in every day I might have that bustle finished and would have breakfast with my dearest friends.  I'd stop by more often and call more often and be there for others.....
If I really start to REFLECT on my life, these perceptions are more likely MY feelings than others. 

I am not perfect in any aspect of my life; however, I am doing my best in all aspects of my life!  SO, if you are waiting for a return email, a note about student progress, or a good dinner, please know I am working to get it all done and I am my own worst critic.  In reality I really am doing my best on this journey called life.  I am just not always the "bright light" I wish I could be.   

Readers Who Read About Writers!

I could NOT have made this one up! 
About 6 months ago, at Costco, I picked up a copy of Elizabeth Berg's Home Safe.  Why did I buy it?  It said, on the cover, that the book was a NYTimes Bestseller!  Good enough for me I thought but the book sat on my nightstand and kept falling below whatever book I was currently reading! Sometimes that does happen to me and so this wonderfully crafted tale of a WRITER was almost lost to this semester or writing focus! 
This weekend, I needed to escape into a book before the onslaught of final projects that will be coming my way and so I grabbed the text as I dusted off the nightstand to "look at" while I got my feet prepared for spring!  I started it yesterday morning and in true great book fashion, it was done after breakfast today.  The laundry is NOT finished and there is NO ironing done and the dust bunnies are still hopping around in their glory....but I escaped into a great book about a writer!