What are you going to do?

Yesterday was the last day of the winter holidays, which means that as of today I am officially on leave from my teaching job. I have a wonderful replacement teacher who I have the utmost faith in to carry on with my classes during my leave, so I don't even have to worry about that aspect of my life at all. It is very liberating. These were the first school holidays where I haven't had to think about planning, reflecting on what went well the previous term/year, and assessment reviews. I loved every minute of them. We whiled away the hours playing Banagrams, cooking, gardening, reading and whatever else took our fancy. 

With the current COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cases across Victoria and NSW I am anticipating that we may go back into a lockdown where school is via remote learning. I am so glad that I am at home if my own children need to learn from home, without the added stress of planning my own classes and working with students who are completing year 11 and 12 this year.

                                                                     

I have been asked the question "What are you going to do?" many times since I announced my plans to take leave earlier this year (actually before we went into the first lockdown). Some of these question have been asked in an incredulous tone, which to my ears sounds like "How are you going to survive?" Some have been followed up with suggestions - "Travel? Renovate? Study?" Those who know me very well probably know that I already do a lot of study anyway - I am constantly learning, reading and researching things that take my fancy. Not in a formal 'institution' way, but just a "I want to learn about [insert random topic here ] today" way. I love studying new things, new perspectives on history and historical events, and I especially love taking notes. I have notebooks full of notes (both in paper and in numerous folders on my computer) which I love to read over and add to. I missed my calling as a research assistant, I think.

However, the real reason for my leave isn't one that I have shared very often. It's not very "modern" I suppose, to want to take leave so that I can stay at home. That's all. Just to be at home. To cook, clean, bake and potter around the garden as much as I like.

I have always loved reading Homemaking books and blogs, but for a long time I had to stop because I would get so sad about going to work. Teaching isn't a job that one can commit to "half-heartedly". It is a vocation, and for the last twelve years (since the children were born), my vocation has called me to be at home. So I have gone to work and been committed to my students but my heart has yearned to be at home, 'feathering my nest,' so to speak. 

Not many people like to hear this reason when I answer that question - "What are you going to do?" They are quick to tell me how dull they would find it, or how they could never do something like this. That's okay - I'm not asking them to :)

My sister, a lovely, sympathetic colleague at work (who has become a close friend in the last year) and another close friend are the few people, I think, who have understood my reason to stay at home, just to stay at home. I have no regrets about taking this leave, and refuse to dwell on the fact that next year I will probably have to return to my job. I am looking forward to this time just to do what I need to do to bless my home and my family.