I'd Rather Today.

Today was so hectic.

And great.

At one point in the day, I was freaking out about something I had forgotten about, and a teacher said, "You have to give some of your stuff up." Another teacher overheard and said, "She can't."

I chuckled. And then I thought...teacher #2 is correct. Giving up NHS won't be hard; I think I gave it up a long time ago, but all the rest...it all means so much to me. I have been warned numerous times that I will burn out. I have been told not to give my life to the school. When I am absolutely consumed by the extras and I can't grade, I wonder if I am doing too much to the disadvantage of my students. Am I being unfair to those who are actually in my classes?

I might be a bit melodramatic. That side of me comes out when I am under a lot of stress and have had little sleep. (For instance, right now, the clock is ticking on my research paper...it is due in two and a half hours. I am writing this instead. I am an idiot.) No matter...I guess I just came to the conclusion that my job is to teach English, but my passion is to enhance the lives of my students. Now, don't get me wrong. I try to do that in my English classes as well, but things like Schools for Schools and Mini-O and Creative Writing Club and FCA are bigger than English. They are bigger than me. I like it that way.

Today was probably my favorite Mini-O yet.

Even though some haven't learned that being creative and goofy is much more fun than...well...dressing like a prostitute...for everyone involved, or that no one likes overt egotism, the day was simply grand. (Note to people with issues: It is fun to win. Enjoy it. Don't shove it down people's throats.) Anyway, all 18 teams were on time and ready to go. (Miracle.) Many teams really worked hard and had great costumes. We're on the upswing of Mini-O; I can feel it. Underclassmen have goals. Seniors getting excited about playing dress-up for a day means everything to next year's seniors and so on and so on; excitement is contagious. After school, thanks to great teacher volunteers and teams that actually listened, the Olympics ran like clockwork. I got to enjoy it. It seems like everyone did. People cheered and fell and clapped and ran and slid and pulled and tugged and weirdly hugged each other (I HATE that tennis ball relay)...and they had fun. I know it.

I LOVE watching people play. We are so often concerned with growing up and being mature that we forget what it is like to have fun like children. As we grow, fun often gets attached to getting drunk or sitting around and relaxing, and we forget how to play games. We forget how awesome recess was. We forget that creativity and teamwork and silly games can create memories that last. I am not trying to make the Mini-Olympics more important than they are. It is, in reality, just one tiny day in a lifetime of days. But I want people to hold onto the feeling of running around in the sun cheering and clapping and slipping and sliding and tugging and hugging, you know?

Don't be afraid to have costume parties when you are 27 and 87. Don't forget that relay races never go out of style. Really, I mean it. It is almost poetic to watch students about to graduate running around like fifth graders. It feels right.

And so, when someone tells me that I should give it up, I imagine I would end up feeling wrong. I'd rather today.