Yesterday, after completing Teach Thought’s 30-day Reflective Teacher Blogging Challenge, I felt a great sense of gratification at being done and being able to return to my daily blog-free life–or at least not feeling obligated to blog each day.

Then, a funny thing happened this morning.  While I have plenty to grade and do and think about, I realized that I had about 10 minutes of time in the morning after breakfast before dropping off my son in which I could try cramming in grading a couple of lesson plans (and feel inevitably rushed), read somewhat frivolous entertainment stories and what’s trending on Facebook, or I could blog.

So, I figured I’d blog.

It’s interesting that without a topic after writing to a prompt for the last 30-days seems a little odd, but I so appreciate that over the last month, I’ve written at least 5 hours (averaging 10 minutes a day for 30 days) Although I probably need to focus some of that writing mojo towards a revise-and-resubmit article or one that was not accepted, but that I feel has a lot of merit, the act of daily writing has been liberating.  It’s reminded me that I can compose things that people will read or not read, but that helps me to clear my mind, to practice my craft (even if it is largely brain dumping), to record my thoughts–it’s a luxury and a break.  Something simple that I can give to myself in the midst of a pretty complex life.

And it gets me present to the fact that I’m grateful for writing and grateful that writing is part of this academic life.  Ah, the gift of blogging…