The Last Game

A persistent ring sounds off in the distance like a yell that never fully reaches the hearer.

Soft, sweat-stained hands reach out for the final enthusiastic high-five of the summer. The ecstatic voices of young children reverberate against the paneled walls of the small gym, dodgeballs careening back and forth despite the last game of the day coinciding with the last game of the summer.

So summer school has ended, and with its closure my summer’s journey has commenced. Change of plans- I won’t be heading out for a second trip to Bali. Time was simply too short, so I have opted a for a week trip to go surfing off Phuket, an island off the coast of southern Thailand, where I will be joined by my surfing comrade Craig, his wife Michelle, and his two small children.

The past few weeks have been an ongoing blur of activity, teaching, and brief periods of respite so as for now, there is little that I have to say that is worth the reading. I’m looking forward to these next few weeks of summer break to rest, recollect, and emotionally prepare myself for the oncoming school year. For myself, teaching is far more an emotional test of endurance than it is of any other area. To remain positive amidst frustration, passionate when dogged by gnawing apathy, and loving when resentment is the predominate sensation- this is my interpersonal battle as one who teaches as a full-time occupation.

I am leaving in half an hour for the airport, so I believe I have held packing at bay long enough. Stay in touch my friends, and wish me over some stellar surfing conditions for the next week!