Finding My Sea Legs

I’ve been on four cruises in my life.  If you do the math, that works out to one cruise every 11.25 years.  I don’t know why that makes any difference, but stick with me here.

Every cruise, no matter how large the ship, I always spend the first several hours finding my sea legs.  

Even though the ship really isn’t rocking all that much, I still end up walking with a serpentine motion as I’m headed down the hallway to my room.  At first it is so unfamiliar that I find myself banging into the walls on either side of the hall as I work my way to wherever it is I’m going.  If I’m somewhere without walls to bump into I tend to keep going until something or someone gets into my way.  Which, on more that on occasion, has been more than a little embarrassing.  (But that’s a story for another day)

However, usually by bedtime on the first day I find, that while I may still be moving down the halls with a wee-bit of zig to my zag, I’m not actually running into walls anymore.  I just look like I’ve been drinking, which, come to think of it, I probably have.  Out on the decks I’ve figured out how to navigate with nothing more than the occasional collision with objects or fellow passengers.  I’m not quite sure whether finding my “Sea Legs” has allowed me to move about the ship without swaying, or that the motion of the ship has simply becomes so commonplace that I don’t notice it anymore.  I think it's kind of like white noise. Either way, the waters calm down and I get to enjoy the cruise.

In a lot of ways the beginning of a new school year is exactly like that…that is without all the drinking.  (wink-wink)

Things start out a little rocky and I find myself bumping into walls and the occasional educator.  However, as days become weeks I usually find my sea legs, get into the groove and the water suddenly feels smooth.

This year the water has be exceptionally choppy.  I haven’t had this much trouble finding my sea legs in quite a few years.  I can’t put my finger on exactly what the difference is.  Which tells me it’s bound to be more that one thing. 

One thing is we have a new reading curriculum.  It’s good and I like it, but changing your whole reading program is huge. I also have a couple of very needy students who suck up time and energy.  I suppose that could be part of it as well.   I’m also seeing that it’s not just me.  There are several seasoned veterans at my school (please don't mention that I referred to them that way!) who are also finding the water a little rougher than usual this year.  

This is the seventh week and the waves are still pretty choppy, but at least I’m keeping my head above water.

If you pray, please pray that my seas will settle soon. 

I’m getting tired of wearing a lifejacket.