String Camp & The Unexpected

This past week, I had the pleasure of accompanying almost 100 middle school students to String Camp, an overnight field trip in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. It was a great trip! However, driving down the mountain, I realized that it was not what I had expected.

I had expected to be hit with a pang of missing music, of missing teaching.
I had expected to be overjoyed to be jumping back into my old "music teacher" world again.
I had expected to savor and treasure those little "kid moments" - the little comments and thoughts that aren't really that important, but mean so much.

But that didn't happen. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it, and really engaged while I was up there! But, if I'm 100% honest, I missed focusing on my ed tech work. It was the first time that I was in a "music" situation and felt more like an ed tech specialist than a music teacher. Not because I didn't like it, not because I didn't feel confident, but mostly because I am excited about the work I am doing now!

There's a kind of a sort of cost

There's a couple of things get lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed

~"Thank Goodness" from Wicked (the musical)

I've blogged about my transition from teaching to being in ed tech - the ups and the downs - but somehow, this felt like a big step. I know that I will always be a music teacher, but I am in a different place now. And I have mixed feelings about that! Primarily, I'm happy to (finally) be so content in my job, but it is tinged with a feeling of loss.

As I continue to cross bridges, I hope that I will always be able to look back with fond memories and look ahead with excitement to the future!

*These are the full lyrics that have been running through my mind -
the section above is just an excerpt*

That's why I couldn't be happier

No, I couldn't be happier

Though it is, I admit

The tiniest bit

Unlike I anticipated

But I couldn't be happier

Simply couldn't be happier

Well—not "simply":

Cause getting your dreams

It's strange, but it seems

A little—well—complicated

There's a kind of a sort of cost

There's a couple of things get lost

There are bridges you cross

You didn't know you crossed

Until you've crossed

And if that joy, that thrill

Doesn't thrill you like you think it will

Still—

With this perfect finale

The cheers and the ballyhoo

Who?

Wouldn't be happier?

So I couldn't be happier

Because happy is what happens

When all your dreams come true

Well, isn't it?

Happy is what happens

When all your dreams come true!