Lessons from a long-term substitute teacher

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I am in limbo.

I finally found those words in Duluth, the week after I finished my temporary teaching contract. For days, they escaped me as I drifted through sequential hours of unstructured time. I was out of my rhythm due to an abrupt ending to my routine. In spite of the grueling nature of the past three and a half months, I grew dependent on the series of alarms on my phone and accustomed to the dynamic flow of the school day. The swift cut off from miscellaneous responsibilities and expectations felt like whiplash. I slammed the breaks after pushing my limits for so long. I can still feel the momentum pulsing through me.

Duluth is my charging station. I find peace in standing on the shore of Lake Superior and staring across the sparkling deep blue waves at the horizon. Here, I feel safe turning the page on another life transition. I understand the worth of standing still instead of constantly pursuing the next thing, next job, next chapter. It is time to regulate with friends, breathe in nature, and process the valuable lessons gained from another intense experience. 
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So, for a few days, it was ok to not see the other side. My priority was reconnecting with girlfriends who fill my cup through their bubbling laughter. I regained my words on couches with them and footing while collecting sea glass over large layered stones with them. I discovered how to describe my current liminal state, and with time, I strung words together to write out the following lessons.

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