Monday, August 24, 2015

THE YEAR AS AN EGG


 by Fran McNabb

If you look at a calendar for the year, you realize there’s a nice pattern and a calming sense of familiarity to the names of holidays spread throughout the year: New Year’s Day, Valentines, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.

 The holidays can be expected on or near the same dates each year, and with that regularity, most people find a sense of stability. We know when to pull out our white shorts for the summer, when to start searching for Christmas gifts or school supplies, and when to think about cleaning the fine china for Thanksgiving dinner.

This is the end of August, the closing moments of the summer months and the beginning of school and football season. When I taught school, our lives revolved around the school’s calendar. As soon as it was given to me, I sat down with our family calendar and marked the days when school would be out. My husband would then book his time for vacation according to our days off.

For those of you who work jobs or own businesses, you have no idea what it feels like to be on a set schedule. I was lucky. My husband’s job and my job both marched along pretty regularly.

I am a visual person, someone who learns best and understands the world through visual
images. I saw my school year as the shape of an egg lying on its side. The small end was Christmas and New Years and the wide end was the summer months. Today, as a retired school teacher, I still visualize it that way, but now my life doesn’t revolve around the school calendar. In fact, this year school buses were rolling before I realized schools had opened their doors.

 Life goes on whether you’re involved in it or not. Hubby and I still think about plans for our year, but they’re not set in stone. We’re retired.  For the most part, we can do what we want when we want, but every once in a while, I stop and remember when life wasn’t like that.

I feel so blessed for our good health and energy to still do things we want to do, and my wish to all of you who are still working is that one day you can also enjoy your carefree days of retirement. My egg is still visible to me, but some days I have to remind myself that my life isn’t controlled by a school calendar anymore.

Hmmm, maybe I should try to see the year as a different shape. Nope. My year has been an egg for so long there’s no way that my old brain cells would see it any other way.

No matter – whatever you’re doing at the end of this summer, I hope it leads to a wonderful fall because that leads to winter and that leads spring – get the picture?
 

 
Fran McNabb writes light romances and has just finished the final round of edits for KEEPING HOPE ALIVE, a romantic suspense and her eighth published book. She lives along the Gulf Coast with her husband and spends her retirement years writing, painting, and boating. Visit her at www.FranMcNabb.com or contact her at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net.
 

 

  

11 comments:

  1. Nice post, Fran. I was never a teacher, but, being parents, my husband and I also for many years planned our year around the school calendar. We still do to a certain extent. Even though our kids are grown, if there's an event in which we hope to include the whole family, we have to consider the grandkids' schedule. Of course, we venture out on our own too, but the really important stuff is with family. Flexibility is nice, but there's also something to be said for structure.

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    1. I guess if my grandkids lived near me, I'd still be governed by the school calendar. As it is, we drive 5 or 6 hours to see them. I agree structure is great. I think I accomplished more when I actually had a routine!

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  2. I like your visual aid for the egg-shaped year, Fran. Especially the way the cold winter months slide quickly around the pointy end!

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    1. I didn't think about the egg making the winter cold smaller. I like that.

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  3. Summer sure has gone by quickly, and so has my procrastination with finishing the darn book. You made me realize that I need to make time every day to write something even if it is only one page.

    Oh and BTW - I may be a hot mess - but I can't wait for the snow. I can already hear the boos out there - LOL

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    1. I just tried to talk with a good friend on the phone as I sat on my back porch which faces the morning sun. I, too, was a "hot mess" and came inside. But snow??? Hmmm. Not so sure I would look forward to that, but, hey, we're all different. Thanks for stopping in.

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  4. What a wonderful way to look at the year! Eggs suggest renewal, a symbol of life. Each new year is a new chance. Enjoy every day!

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  5. Thanks for dropping by, Gina. You're so right. Each year is a new chance for each of us!

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  6. Hi, Fran! I love your egg. I'm really visual too so I understand your way of seeing the progress of time.

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    1. Thanks for dropping in Cara. I know how busy you are right now.

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  7. Hi Fran--
    How nice for you and your hubby to enjoy your leisure time and finally get to set your schedules. I never looked at the year as a shape before. Very interesting concept :-) Oh, I Love your booksigning photo!
    Victoria--

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