Get rejuvenated!

 Summertime, and the living is easy.  When I was in the classroom on a yearly basis, and I heard people say, "Teachers have it so easy, since they get the summers off", I would just laugh...while my blood pressure rose to an unnatural level and my neck changed to 8 shades of red (including the not-so-well-known rosy shade called "Are you KIDDING me?")...but mostly I would laugh.  Summers are usually not so easy for those in the education world, as teachers and administrators are scrambling to finish up paperwork from the previous year while preparing for the next year. 

While we have the chance, we should take time to get rejuvenated.

Dave and I took off for Colorado Springs with the pups to a pet-friendly vacation rental for a couple of weeks.  While here, my two best friends from college came to visit for a few days to celebrate Kelly turning 50.  Keep in mind we are best friends from college, so one of us has already turned 50 (that would be me) and Robin is knocking on 50's door.  Kelly's husband so very kindly treated all three of us to "Colorado Rejuvenating Wraps" at the Broadmoor (Dave strongly suspects Kelly's husband did that as a treat for Dave, as having three best friends reminisce silly moments from college can be a little over-the-top).  When we checked in at the Spa, we were invited to get into warm robes (what do I have to do to get a robe-warmer?), spa shoes, and put our remaining items in a locker.  "While you wait", they suggested, "feel free to help yourself to watermelon-infused water, cucumber water or lemon-lime water". Don't mind if I do.  

The only thing that was the slightest bit unnerving was Kelly's desire for a female masseuse. When the body double for Mr. Clean came out and called her name, there was a moment of slight hesitation.  Afterwards, we re-convened in the room they should call the "Pitch a fit because you never want to leave" room.  Facing the Broadmoor's jaw-dropping scenery, we settled into warm lounge chairs where we talked about life, love and happiness (and about how much we loved having our arms and legs in warm "wraps" while masseuses massaged our scalps).  We may or may not have also giggled incessantly (and maybe also like 5 -year olds) when recalling fun, college memories, and we definitely snacked on sweet and salty treats (are they really complimentary?) before we headed to the steam sauna, the dry sauna, then the oxygen room.  

Why is it that we find ourselves sometimes feeling guilty if we indulge ourselves? Maybe it is because we know we have so many things to do, we can't "afford" to take the time to read a good book or relax in the sunshine for a little while.  But, consider this.  For those you who are well-acquainted with Harry Wong and his great work "First Days of School", you will recall his sage advice about spending the first two weeks of school establishing routines and procedures.  While some will question "Aren't we losing the first 10 days of school?", many wise and savvy souls have figured out, "No, we are gaining 170 days of quality instruction".  The same analogy applies here.  Instead of "wasting" an hour or so of work time when we take a hot bath, read a murder mystery, or take a hot Yoga class, we are actually gaining quality productive time since we will be getting back to a work task as rejuvenated souls.

So, instead of worrying about getting rejuvenated, let's take a serious look at what the values of such time will give us in return.  Then jump in the sauna with both feet!! And now, I will explain that I would have written a longer blog, but I am going to go read in the courtyard while this beautiful weather lasts a bit longer!

Happy Communicating!!

Shelly

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