You know that excitement you get when things are just flowing?
Everything seems to be working just the way you envisioned it.
You remembered to do everything you were supposed to do.
You shifted smoothly from task to task.
You toggled seamlessly from Google Meet to Microsoft Teams meetings and back again.
Your to-do list for the day is done and you crossed all the t’s and dotted every i.
Your desk is a mess ‘cause you’ve been working so hard.
You’re about to call it quits for the night and then you decide to open up your email account from students. One. Last. Time.
And, then you see it.
The student you were supposed to meet with, the one you’ve been after for so long and who seems to be avoiding you, emails to tell you she was there, but you weren’t.
And you realize that being in the “flow” is not the same as being finished.
And that nothing is perfect.
And your work is truly never done.
And, had you known that critical tidbit of information before going into teaching, would you still have done it anyway?
And, of course, you know the answer to that question.
Because being a teacher is your life’s calling.
And, so you pick up the pieces that fell through the cracks and start all over again the next day.
You can’t remember everything ‘cause there are so many things to remember and so many things to do. So many.
So, you apologize.
You reschedule.
You forgive yourself.
Tomorrow is another day.
It’s time to put this one to bed.
Cross posted to The Two Writing Teachers Tuesday Slice of Life Story Challenge.
Elisa Waingort 
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