RESURRECTION

Justifying the disappearance- temporary or otherwise- of a blog is so standard that I will not even go into the reasons. We all know how it goes. My nutshell justification would be my virtual bumper sticker of the moment: Life was so easy before I got one. Nuf said.

The resurrection in question is not only that of my blog. Blogs, especially those related to a personal passion- tend to follow the waxing and waning of the passion. Throwing myself into what I am doing- work, study, life- became such a time- and energy- consuming activity that the fire behind it was reduced to embers in the past months. I was beginning to wonder if it had been doused completely.

But stepping away can be the best medicine. After working my fingers to the bone in my coordination duties at work over the past semester, and finding that it was still not enough, I had the sense that everything else had suffered, including my teaching and my studies, not to mention my personal wellbeing. For three weeks in January, though, I have the luxury of stepping back from work to attend classes for my masters program. From this, new developments have emerged.

Taking time to re-invigorate my theoretical interests and regain perspective on what it is that I do, and disciplining myself to relax (not as easy as it sounds), while entrusting colleagues with matters at work, has kindled those fragile embers. The flames are returning, and with care they may blaze again.

There are many educational mistakes of the past semester to learn from, in all areas from my teaching to my coordination to my studies to my work-life balance. That is what mistakes are for- and in fact they only are mistakes if I do not learn from them.

I am fortunate, blessed, downright lucky. I have so many opportunities, inspired colleagues, wondrous friends and a ragbag bucketful of abilities and experience and hard-won skills. To say that these could be wasted is not entirely correct. But that they can be used in ever better ways would be fair.

Resurrecting my blog is one of them.