Every year as March comes around; I begin to feel conflicted. March is one of the months I dread the most, yet it is also one of my most beloved months of each year. The emotions of March are a roller coaster, and frankly, I am exhausted by the time I get to April!
Let me give you a glimpse into my crazy mindset;
Let's start with the part of March that feeds my anxiety (don't we always start with the bad?); I am a teacher, I have been in education for 26 years, and the month of March can be a teacher's worst nightmare. During the height of student "spring fever," I am trapped in a room of 7th-graders for five full days, for five consecutive weeks!
Now, I know that most of you are probably sarcastically saying to yourself, "oh, you poor thing," and I get it, but those of you in education are saying a little prayer for me right now – and I need it! We do not participate in spring break in my Missouri school district, and Easter rarely falls in March.
Do you see where I am going with this?
This is also the time of year that I am ramping up and preparing my students for state-mandated standardized testing. I evaluate what state standards I have taught and what I need to cram down their throat before "go" time while asking myself:
"Did I effectively teach these kids what they need to know?"
"How do I get my students to take this seriously?"
"What is the testing schedule going to look like this year?"
"Why don't 7th graders know to capitalize their name?"
"Will their Chromebooks work on test day?"
"How many kids will be absent?"
"Am I failing these kids?"
AHHHHHHHHH!
The month of March is also the time of year when my husband gets an idea of what I see daily within his fire department. As a captain for almost ten years now, he is under a lot of stress at work, takes his job seriously, and wants to be the best at what he does. Our work ethics is why we have been together so long. We are both very driven people, personally and professionally. When he sees the stress and anxiety I encounter, all he wants to do is help.
As fire wives/significant others, we experience this all the time, not just at a specific time of the year. We want to help. Unfortunately, sometimes we have to let things play out and let them know we are there for them.
I can't end this blog without explaining the flip side of March. The March that eases my worried mind. Spring is approaching. I am watching and listening to my birds (yes, they are mine) at their bird feeder as I type this. And here in the Midwest, we are beginning to thaw out.
In just a few weeks, I will start to see signs of life in my flower garden, and my patio furniture will be cleaned up and put out to enjoy. As a woman of faith, I love the Lenten season. Not only do I love a good fish fry, but in all seriousness,
what better way to renew on a personal level than to prepare for Easter.
With everything in life, one has to weigh the good with the bad. I wish you nothing but peace, balance, and happiness with whatever March has in store for you!
~Tracy
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