For ten months of the year, from September to the end of June, I wake up early, sometimes before the sun, to care for children. As a child care educator, my day starts before the school bell rings, often in the quiet stillness of a chilly morning, when most are still nestled in bed. Winter brings its own challenges - icy roads, snow-covered cars, and dark commutes that can tap my energy. My afternoons and evenings are spent back at school, caring for kids that count on seeing Ms.Elizabeth at the end of their day. And in between, I've even worked in daycare settings. It's a lot. My time during the school year is not my own. It belongs to the rhythm of the work, to the kids, to the routine.
But when July and August arrive, something shifts.
I exhale.
Summer brings with it the gift of time. Not just a break from work but a return to myself.
I'm now entering my third week of summer holiday, and while I'm officially "off," I've never felt more on-purpose. I'm not working outside the home, but I am working - on my writing, on ideas that stir something in me, on content that feels aligned with my heart and calling as a resilience educator. I've put on my writer's cloak, and each day I find myself diving into words, thoughts, insights.
And here's the thing - because I'm rested, because I'm choosing the pace, because I don't have to do it...I want to. The words are coming fast, not from pressure, but from joy.
Writing from home has opened a door to everything I love. I've had the time to see friends, move my body, shop and prep nourishing food, and do life at a pace that feels gentle and kind. There is something incredibly freeing about waking up and creating your own rhythm. No commute, no punching in, just presence and purpose.
These summer months feel sacred to me. And they're also planting seeds. Seeds of possibility that this writing life, this creative work I'm building, could be more than a seasonal gift. That it might one day become my everyday. My career. My purpose. My vocation. Something that sustains not just my spirit, but also brings financial stability. Something meaningful that allows me to live and give, from a place of freedom.
And so, while I may be "off," I've never been more "on"!✨️