Although it has changed somewhat, the weekend is less hectic than weekdays. At my age and, to a lesser extent the current healh crisis, days blend together a bit more and abitrary barriers dissolve between the weekend and the work week. That is what the weekend constituted for me in the past. Now, I plan out days to fit reading, writing, taking care of social media and email, etc. Part of my routine is to walk each day and it is always interesting to observe and appreciate the unexpected.
For several years I observed Sabbath differently. I took time each Sunday to shut off computers, TV, and be less busy. Now, I make sure I have quiet time to withdraw and rest each day. It is essential for one’s overall well-being to take time and just be. In a way, it is like gardening. We take time to plant seeds and nourish them into life so they can flourish. Too often, I found, in the rush of getting things done for the sake of getting them done, I lost some of that in my younger years.
Turning soil,
Planting seeds,
One at a time.
Nourishing with rest,
Flourishing wholeness,
Becoming whole.
Just being–
Breathing,
Light giving.
Weekending,
Waiting quietly,
No rushing.
Tiling with care,
Enlightening,
Even weeds.
I took this picture several years ago in Spokane as I walked back towards campus along the river. As you can see, the sun was setting beautifully and was just above the horizon. In the midst of light, shadows emerge and their presence signals light is there.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope, nonviolence and its anticipatory relationship with the future, as essential elements to teaching and learning.
Academic publications can be found at Ivon Gile Prefontaine on ResearchGate
ivonprefontaine
Teacher as Transformer 
That is a beautiful photo. I still make room for the weekend, even after retiring.
Thank you Dan. I spread the weekend out. I probably have more time for weekending now the way I do it than I did before I retired.
This piece seems to be written on be half of me. : ) I just got back from the trip with the same thoughts in mind. I have even passed through Spokane during the day, so I had no chance to take a sunset photo. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thank you Byung. It is always nice to hear that what I wrote makes a difference for others, even in a small way. River valleys provide amazing opportunities with the sun rising and setting; like mountains.
Weekending,
Waiting quietly,
No rushing.
I’m grateful I can do this as well…I’m so enjoying my flowers…mediative. Happy weekending Ivon ~ smiles Hedy ☺️
Thank you Hedy. Take care and enjoy your weekending. Maybe I will use that as a meme moving forward.
Beautiful picture — of a city I’ve been in exactly twice. Neither time did I visit long enough to witness such beauty. I observe Sabbath on Saturdays, but my experience of Sabbath during Covid-19 has been transformed in similar ways. Mainly, it is a much quieter and more reflective experience than earlier. I was stricken by this expression, and this is why I commented. Thanks for supporting my blog.
I think Sabbath in the midst of the health crisis has shifted how I reflect, giving me more space to spread out the relaxing and reflective time. You are welcome A. P. Take care.
Yes, that’s pretty much how it is being transformed in my experience as well. Thanks for engaging, and God bless.
Thank you.
As always — calm, peaceful prose, utterly succinct poetry, and amazingly beautiful photo.
Thank you.
Strolling through life slowly gives an opportunity for so many observations. In my case, it’s driving through life as I like to take a drive somewhere each day to watch the world of nature changing. We each have to find a way to have our quiet time.
We need to go slow and easy. Part of mindfulness is the ease with which we experience life. Ease suggests slowing down for me.
I love the way weekending sounds.
The weekend should be used to rest but I wonder how often we get to really rest.
There are always undone things that we try to do.
Your post draws attention to the fact that we can make out time to take pictures.
There’s a lot of beauty in nature that we often overlook.
Thank you for sharing.
I see it comes up as a meme on Twitter today. You are welcome and thank you.
On Fri, Aug 14, 2020 at 3:32 PM Teacher as Transformer wrote:
> ivonprefontaine posted: “Although it has changed somewhat, the weekend is > less hectic than weekdays. At my age and, to a lesser extent the current > healh crisis, days blend together a bit more and abitrary barriers dissolve > between the weekend and the work week. That is what the w” >
The picture is so beautiful and so are the words❤️
Thank you Lara
This post is so on target. I love your analogy. “It is essential for one’s overall well-being to take time and just be.” This line is so reaching. I want to go back to “just being” in peace. Thanks for this.
Thank you and you are welcome Melba. I am grateful you enjoyed and found meaning.