The Purpose is the Process

Have you ever done something truly in the moment with no care for how long it will take or what you have to do next? I’m sure people do this sort of thing all the time. It appears I haven’t. This past weekend I was experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 vaccine, so I was laid up on the couch with my new and very lazy cat, Pita. When I finally felt ready to do something other than watch Meryl Streep movies, I decided to make blueberry bread.

Usually when I bake, and I don’t do it often, it has a purpose. Maybe someone is coming to visit or maybe I bought too many blueberries and need to use them, either way, it’s always in a hurry. This time, however, I had nothing else to do. No one else was home. It was a holiday so my email was quiet. Because I still wasn’t feeling 100%, I worked slowly, carefully assembling each ingredient and measuring methodically. I didn’t care about how long it took or what was lingering on my to-do list. I stayed in the moment, and I actually enjoyed each step in the process. I think I finally understand how baking can be relaxing. It also made me wonder if I had ever really relaxed before.

All this to say, why do we have to wait until we get sick to slow down? Why do we feel compelled to always keep moving, stay productive, and work ourselves to exhaustion? American culture is built on these ideas, but what if we changed the narrative?

I woke up this morning thinking about these things, and I think I want to explore some of these ideas in this space. For a long time, this blog has been dedicated to sharing educator journeys. I still want it to be, but perhaps in a different way and through a different lens. Let’s experiment!