It's really hard to get used to being back in school and work and having so little free time. It's made me really think hard about my values hierarchy. And yet, even when I am doing higher values, I am still sad about having less time for the lesser values. Here's my list of values, in the order of their importance.
1. my school work
2. taking care of Livy
3. my teaching job
4. my relationship with Aaron
5. my relationship with Livy
6. leisure reading (including Latin club)
7. spending time with closest local friends (Jenn, Brendan, Jason)
8. podcasting and other parenting educator work
9. spending time with other wonderful local friends (Micheal, Jessica, Melissa, Martin, Miranda)
10. blogging
11. ESOL tutoring
11. spending time with closest distant friends (Shea, Rory)
12. wandering Atlanta in search of adventures
13. Sacred Harp singing
When I was not in school, I actively pursued all of the other values. Lately, it's been incredibly rare that I have done anything below number 7. It makes me feel kind of one dimensional and flat not to have a life full of various values and constantly changing stimuli. And I am sad about the values that I am not getting to. I miss blogging. I miss Shea. I miss going to interesting places in Atlanta where I have never been.
I know that school is more important that those things, and it does bring me an incredible amount of joy and fulfillment. But it's hard to have to give up one thing for another, even when you know you've made the right choice.
