I’m sorry I haven’t been writing much lately. It’s not just about not knowing what to say, many nights I simply have nothing left to offer. I used to be able, eager even, to sit down after a long day and process my thoughts in a post. Now, in the hour I have to myself before bedtime, I can’t seem to manage much of anything. Most nights folding laundry while watching TV feels like too much, let alone the stacks of grading I need to do, or a blog post I don’t actually need to write.
I’m wondering if the news cycle is sapping that last bit of creative energy from me these days. The time and energy spent processing whatever unbelievable occurrence is blowing up the headlines is not effort I’m used to expending. And it’s not like I think about it all that much, but it’s a constant hum in the background, leaving me that much more depleted at the end of the day.
I’ve tried taking a day off to see if I have more to give after bedtime, but 24 hours isn’t enough time to detox from the insanity. I think I’d need an entire week or more of not reading or talking about the news at all to get some of that creative energy back.
This is also the hardest time of the year, both as a teacher and now as the parent of an elementary aged student. There is so much going on at both schools, I feel completely and totally overwhelmed most of the time.
My daughter’s school year ends this Friday. Mine ends 3.5 weeks after that. I’m hoping I have a little more to give in the two weeks before I head to Ecuador. In the meantime, I’ll try to post when I can.
How are you managing the onslaught of the current news cycles?
I’m not dealing with it well. I’ve been going to bed way too late after spending time at night checking the news and then reading comedians’ take on it on Twitter to try to cheer myself up.
This is certainly unlike anything in my lifetime. I was a very small child Watergate happened but that was nothing like this anyway. And at that time I don’t think national and world security was at stake like it is now.
This is way more intense and fraught on many levels than Watergate and than the anti Vietnam War Movement.
This is also a terrifically difficult time of year for you and your children with all the school/camp/disruptions of endings and beginnings. Keep your self breathing and home fires under control. Just saying ‘hi, I am still making it through’ will be appreciated when you are able to do that. Or just share your to-do list, or packing list for your summer educational trip. But no pressure because sometimes we all are less certain we actually are making it through. This is an endurance event not a sprint and there is no shortcut to 2021; nor anyway to read the back of the book and see how things turn out until we have lived each day.
How to do the process varies by person. I find being very carefully mindful and focusing on daily small joys helps. Also being specific about what day and for how long each week I share my thoughts to those who have larger platforms and more power … because that contains things and allows me specific actions done rather than an overwhelming sense of impotence. I can listen to and read the news at other times, but not all the time. Stabilizing your children helps you be calm and focused on daily life; we will get through that way.
PS: Reading light happy books also may help you; or happy music.
We are on your team.