Day Off

It's five days before vacation and I am going crazy.

Mostly because of outside, family stuff that has nothing to do with school. But also because we have a semester to finish, report cards to write, and just a lot going on all around.

First my supervisor said "Everyone gets stressed in December." Then she took one look at my pale face and was like, "Have you taken a day off yet this year?"

Actually, I haven't. I feel like I have, because they schedule meetings and trainings and PD days during my classes, so it seems like I'm never there. But I haven't been sick, nobody's died, and I don't have kids of my own.

She gave me Tuesday off. "As your boss," she said, "I ought to tell you to stay home and write report cards. But as a person, I say this day is a gift, just for you." And then she proceeded to fill out the leave slip for me, over my protests about it being two days before vacation. Because I had told her once about the family responsibilities I have on Sundays, and she knew that I might not actually get my vacation for myself.

I have strict instructions to sleep late, eat kosher takeout, and visit a museum, with no sub-plan writing or report card guilt. And to tell no family member I'm not working, and no one at school I'm not sick.

All last weekend and all day today, all I could think of was this guilty secret. Not because of the day off, which is sweet in itself. I'm so gleeful because the person who gave it to me cares about me, not just as a teacher, but also as me. It's wonderful to know that I work in a place where they think I'm amazing but know that I'm human at the same time. And that care about the person I am being healthy (not just physically) and happy, too, every day of the year.

To be here, I am truly blessed.