Teaching and mothering are two things we always envisioned as part of our lives. We graduated together with bachelor’s degrees in education and supported each other to earn master’s degrees as well. Our lives were focused in our classrooms surrounded by our students. We were happy. We were making a difference in children’s lives.
Motherhood brought about new insights and goals. We made the decision to leave classroom teaching to fill the full time role of motherhood. Teaching was still a part of our everyday lives, but it had different meaning and purpose.
Motherhood and teaching are professions based on giving. We give our time, our love, our knowledge, our creativity, our patience. We give whole parts of our selves for the better of someone else. Consequently, both professions can quickly take over all aspects of someone’s life and the sense of “me” can be lost. While extremely happy with our lives, we wanted to once again find the part of ourselves that had become hidden.
As planners, we decided we needed a goal. A local 5K, supporting a charity that we felt personally connected to, seemed to be the star for us to reach. We found a training program and created a chart. We created a schedule and with the support of our husbands were able to follow it religiously. Six weeks later we held hands as we crossed our first finish line. We were hooked. We had learned we could set a goal, a goal that was very intimidating, and really make it happen. Over the course of the next five months we worked to achieve another unfathomable goal. Holding hands again, we crossed another finish line and completed our first half marathon. We used to laugh saying we we were our own little team. However, we have realized that our team is really much larger. Our team,Teacher2Mother2Runner, is for anyone who has ever taught, ever mothered or ever ran.
Many people will suggest that a particular finish line will make someone into a true runner. We disagree. We became runners the moment we made the decision to take our first steps in achieving a goal. We became runners the moment we made the decision to improve our bodies both physically and mentally. We became runners so we could become better teachers, friends, wives, and mothers.
We run to become stronger…for everyone.
Motherhood brought about new insights and goals. We made the decision to leave classroom teaching to fill the full time role of motherhood. Teaching was still a part of our everyday lives, but it had different meaning and purpose.
Motherhood and teaching are professions based on giving. We give our time, our love, our knowledge, our creativity, our patience. We give whole parts of our selves for the better of someone else. Consequently, both professions can quickly take over all aspects of someone’s life and the sense of “me” can be lost. While extremely happy with our lives, we wanted to once again find the part of ourselves that had become hidden.
As planners, we decided we needed a goal. A local 5K, supporting a charity that we felt personally connected to, seemed to be the star for us to reach. We found a training program and created a chart. We created a schedule and with the support of our husbands were able to follow it religiously. Six weeks later we held hands as we crossed our first finish line. We were hooked. We had learned we could set a goal, a goal that was very intimidating, and really make it happen. Over the course of the next five months we worked to achieve another unfathomable goal. Holding hands again, we crossed another finish line and completed our first half marathon. We used to laugh saying we we were our own little team. However, we have realized that our team is really much larger. Our team,Teacher2Mother2Runner, is for anyone who has ever taught, ever mothered or ever ran.
Many people will suggest that a particular finish line will make someone into a true runner. We disagree. We became runners the moment we made the decision to take our first steps in achieving a goal. We became runners the moment we made the decision to improve our bodies both physically and mentally. We became runners so we could become better teachers, friends, wives, and mothers.
We run to become stronger…for everyone.