I have reached a milestone in my blog: fifty, five-O, 50 posts, or a half century. However, I look at it – it is a lot of writing. I never imagined I would have written so much. I have looked back at my writing, not all of it, and decided it needs polishing, revisiting, and it helps me remember what I have accomplished this summer. Some of the writing is reflective and some informative. It has been a pleasure to write.

 Sometimes like now, I do not have much to write about, Monday was not the least bit exciting. I visited Dr. Dalan, my chiropractor, and got an adjustment. My knee is still jammed and I am hobbled. The left knee is tender and bruised and I am about three-quarter’s speed, if that fast. Afterwards, I visited the post office and collected two weeks’ worth of mail. That is a large amount of mail. I opened, sorted, and recycled some. I shredded some more, and I paid the rest or set aside the bills to pay when they come due. Not exciting. I cleaned my desk downstairs, or got a start on it.

I finished Monday’s post and then packed for my conference – the Summer Leadership Academy at Illinois State University in Bloomington\Normal, Illinois. It is why I came home and I will be at the conference for two days – Tuesday and Wednesday. Fortunately, it is a short drive: just over one hundred-twenty miles from Wheaton to Normal, about a two-hour drive.

I load the car and take off. I have one stop – the Harrison’s to return shoes mark left behind and then I am on the road. The drive takes me through Joliet and along Interstate 55, the same path that Route 66 took before they built the interstate. From Chicago to St. Louis, Joplin Missouri…. The song went.  A two hour drive is an easy drive compared to the drive to the cottage, but still I need to pay attention and the sun is setting in the west and the road stretches out across the flat prairie of central Illinois. The sky takes on hues of blue, purple, and orange as the sun slides below the horizon. In the east, the moon, almost full, rises as it did on the drive from Grayling. Ahead, red lights flash in the distance and stretch across both sides of the road, they flash on and off and are synchronized with each other. The lights become larger and I as I pass through the field I discover it is a windmill farm as the flash of the red light illuminates the blade. Soon, they are behind me and I pull in to Normal, Illinois.

I found my hotel easily and check in. I grabbed a book and went to the lobby to grab a bite to eat. I found a quiet place and began to read – Seven Habits book and I read. The server took care of me and I read. It was quiet and I realized that the way I saw things, my paradigm was based on my experiences. And, what I perceived as normal was only normal to me. I read further, realizing that the rules I live by and those I create for William and Olivia are artificial and imposed by me to create order and harmony. This, in reality creates disharmony because they want to live outside the boundaries and push their limits. As I read I reflected, I do need to think about natural laws ones that impose natural consequences rather than artificial ones. Some food for thought.

It had been a busy day and I had accomplished quite a bit. Tomorrow’s conference will be interesting. I am attending communication school for my position in the IPEA, Indian Prairie Education Association, and the local affiliate of the National Education Association. Class will challenge me to think in different ways to solve some of our challenges. Regardless, the day was over and tomorrow brings new opportunity. Making the days count, one day at a time.