7. Time for myself 10-2-08

With being an RA, working at Sauder, and other responsibilities with classes, homework and clubs I don not have much time to squander away. Most day are spent with last minute work at making deadlines and attempting to get sleep. So with the stress piling up, I know that I need to work on a few things. Mainly I need to learn how to say no to responsibilities that are not necessary and when I do have free time, to use it effectively. If I just “veg. out” that does not recharge my battery.

In the mornings before I go to West Goshen I have been working at getting up 15 minutes earlier than needed and having some quiet mediation journaling time. This time is really nice even though I am not fully awake. It gives me complete silence (on a floor where that is a rare thing) to journal and think forward about what is going to happen during the day. When I being teaching lessons in my placement this will be a nice time to review lesson one last time before I head out to the school. Hopefully I will be able to continue with this quiet mediation time for the rest of the year.

Another piece of the meditation time is my bike ride to the school. I take the path by the dam and then go through Shanklen Park and then through Mullet Park. Right now the weather has not been bad and just a little cool in the mornings. The changing colors on the leaves are beautiful as I follow the creek. The other week I saw a doe and her fawn when I rounded the corner. I got a few meters away before they darted off into the forest. Theses morning are a true testament of the beauty of God’s creation.