JOURNAL: September 28, 2006

Yesterday was a very relaxing day, and it made me wonder if every day could actually be just as relaxing. Of course, a big part of the reason for the relative serenity of the day was the fact that I had no classes all day – just six parent conferences spread throughout the morning and afternoon. Since the conferences were amiable and enjoyable, the day passed in a perfectly tranquil manner. My classroom remained orderly and quiet, and the entire school seemed like a peaceful sanctuary, hour after hour. Yes, a significant reason for this tranquility was no doubt the absence of the children, who always bring with them their spirited (and noisy) approach to living, but, still, I wondered if it’s possible to find this kind of deep calm every day and in every situation. That thought kept coming back to me yesterday: All my days could be like this – and, more and more, it seemed like a true statement. It seemed to me that inside any day, no matter how many problems it appears to contain, resides a basic quietness, and that I could discover it. It wouldn’t take any big effort on my part – just an alertness to what lies beneath the sometimes tumultuous surface of life. Even wild, scary, days are buoyed up by an all-powerful peacefulness, and I could experience this in the future. That was my recurring thought yesterday as the hours passed so gently and quietly.