Day 43 - Putting it all together takes courage

I finished the sleeves to Nanny's sweater. What's left to do is to attach them to the sweater, sew up the seam on each and then to knit the button band and the collar edge. As I look at the sleeves in their completion however, I realize they look all wrong. How will they ever fit and make sence? I will need to show them to the experts in my life and seek guidance.

Funny how my knitting and my real life are always so parallel. As I sat in the BOE meeting last night listening to them say "cut the music, cut the music" I realized that the parts of my life no longer make sence and fit either. For seven years I have spent most of my time and energy trying to improve the lives of the students in this town. I have creatively added the elective offerings that we needed to engage more of the student body, I have created and nurtured programs that allowed students to thrive in the arts adn the town to see and celebrate all they can achieve. For seven years I have gone to these meetings and explained all that music education has to offer these students above and beyond the simple fact of meeting graduation elective requirements. I have picked up additional performance events when parents and students begged us to do more. Last night, four lone students came out and pleaded with the board not to cut the program. Two lone music parents came to the meeting. The board voted to present a budget to the town board of finance the included the cut.

There were things said that made it clear that there was more going on than just budget needs. It was clear to me that if the town's people don't care enough to fight for the enrichment of their student's education than it's time to move on to somewhere where they do care. Teachers can not fight these battles for the parents and for the students alone.

Like my sweater, something big needs to be figured out and changed. Like my sweater, there is a real sence of urgency to get that done now! Change is always hard and scary but rarely are the important things in life easy. I know that as soon as I finish the sweater, I will always put it on and feel the love and warmth of a mother-in-law I miss dearly. I will always remember her strength and support. I will wear that sweater when I turn in my letter of resignation if it comes to that and I will wear that sweater when I start the new leg of my journey.