Breathe

This is what I see every morning when I get off the bus at Avenue des Alpes on the way to work. The view is always different in varying shades of pink, grey, blue and purple and more recently, dramatic burning oranges and reds as the sun rises later and later each day. I stop everyday and take a few deep breaths at this spot. The air is always cool and sometimes wind comes off of the lake and whips up over the town to the part of the hill where I am standing. After a few deep breaths, I turn and walk further up the hill for ten minutes until I finally get to the school, hot and breathless from the brisk uphill walk. I walk into school, turn on the lights in my classroom and prepare for the day. Everyday I have so much to do I can't think where to begin and I think of a million things in my personal life, pesky to-do list life and life at school that I forget to breathe. Those last moments at the Avenue des Alpes before the work day begins are the only peaceful moments I've had in the last few months. And even though I have the next two weeks off, I'm still consumed by all there is to do as a teacher. Everyone said the first year would be rough. It sure is.