I have long understood that a predictable pattern to my life offers me comfort. For this reason, I thrive during the school year and tend to languish in the summertime. I enjoy the regularity of being in a classroom from Monday through Friday, savoring an occasional holiday weekend, but sometimes dreading longer breaks for the winter and spring.
This spring break, however, has offered me time to go for walks, to visit my aunties in Connecticut, to have tea with my godmother, to cook in a kitchen much bigger than the one in my own apartment, and to accept an invitation to Easter lunch–all of this enjoyed with someone with whom I have grown increasingly chummy.
I also had time to read a movie script written by a friend, to prepare lessons for tutoring pupils, and do a fair portion of my spring cleaning.
And sometimes, infirmity strikes. Last spring break, it was a bout of Covid. This year, as I had hoped for forty miles of walking for this coming week, a bizarre hip ailment has laid me up for three days.
With luck, I will mend as I resume a good portion of my regular routine today.
Photo credit: Cottonbro Studio/Pexels
I am participating in Slice of Life Tuesdays, sponsored by Two Writing Teachers.
Real Teaching 
There is so much to be said for “predictable patterns.” I love structure and routine as well and have learned to impose productive routine on my break times so that they feel truly energizing and restorative because I’m able to be just the right amount of productive. The hip ailment sounds really frustrating, but otherwise your break sounds full of good stuff–nature, connection, reading, celebration.
Hips can be tricky! Sorry to hear that yours is hurting.
Spring break was busy, but wonderful. However, it’s nice to return to the routine today.
Paul, I tend to languish in summer also – savoring every minute I can get with my granddaughters. How lovely to spend your break with family & good friend. I am intrigued by the movie script. Sorry about your hip, ouch (I managed to sprain my ankle a few weeks ago just getting up in the night without realizing my leg had gone to sleep). Walking forty miles?? Whoa! Here’s to healing, and, yes, routines that offer comfort, and being one day closer to summer…
Paul, I hope you are feeling better – – I have a colleague suffering hip and knee ailments right now, and she is a miserable wreck as she tries to move about. After a broken ankle last fall, I know well the pain of these crippling and debilitating injuries and aches. I wish I could say I had been ready to return to work after the break, but the truth is? I could enjoy several more weeks of time just writing and lingering over coffee, being able to take a morning walk with the dogs, watching some birds, pressing some flowers, writing some letters, taking a kayak paddle, reading, and traveling to visit relatives. Even cleaning out a closet or two. But you are correct – – routine is good for us, and I do much better when I get up and get going. I hope you recover quickly with your hip.
I can appreciate the desire for routine as we tend to equate it w/ purpose. Perhaps that’s unique to teachers and others in service professions. I try to establish routines in the summer, too, such as when to take the dog out; he, of course, dictates those times. However, when holiday breaks roll around, I like to go. That means travel. The times I didn’t travel during spring break I struggled to rest. That may be because spring break is almost always cold. Thinking about spring cleaning gives me anxiety, but as soon as it’s warm enough, I’m washing windows, which is the most overwhelming task. I do hope your hip heals soon so you can resume walking.
Are we letting “increasingly chummy” just slip by?? LOL. Hope your hip has healed!