Firey Finishes

Was at the airport bar in Salt Lake City last sunday, waiting to catch a bird back to the bay via stand-by (only got bumped from two flights) and was enjoying some sweet micro-brew (apparently the only good beer in SLC) and my attention shifted to the tv (I know, huge surprise) where ESPN was hosting drag racing!

I was just able to catch the scene of this drag racer exploding into flames, which was quite a sight....but it somehow had enough momentum and actually finished the race in 1st place.

Didn't think much of it at the time but later I reflected on the metaphoric value this image holds concerning my own life at the present moment. As my 9th year of teaching comes to its close I feel like a speed machine in flames and today I cross the symbolic finish line and I graduate the little spirits to kindergarten.

It has been a most difficult year for me with plenty of challenges. From building a new campus, to losing my co-teacher twice, to managing the day-to-day stress of making something good happen for 18 highly-spirited little ones, my year has had plenty of glitches and speed bumps....but today I made it! I'm crossing the line on Friday the 13th, how appropriate.

Here's to nine great years of making it happen and to all the teachers out there who are tired and on fire.