New Rhythms Monday Musings

Benjamin Sloan Strait is off to school to begin his Junior year.  He gives a more subdued version of the thumbs up, the gesture he has used in staged pictures since he was a toddler.

It's the beginning of new rhythms, particularly for a Monday.

Like last week, I get up around 5:30 to prepare for an early morning walk.  But it's different than last week.

Last week, there was a kind of dark all over the neighborhood.  Only one man walking his dog, and one car coming home each morning about the same time.  We have fewer night shift workers than most areas, but they do exist.  All the houses were dark.  No one was up.

This morning, everything was different.  Many of the houses had lights on.  There was a child at the glass front door of his house.  There was more car activity.  And I saw a school bus go by.

Yes, things are different when it's the first day of school.  Anyone who does not tell you that small communities like ours do not move to the rhythm of public schools, have no idea what they're talking about.  School starts, and Pierce County is coming alive.

It's not the only rhythm that's changed.  Although I semi-retired from accounting on Thursday, July 27th, this is the first day I really noticed the change.  Last week, I came to work for at least some hours on Monday through Thursday.  I had Friday off, but that's been true for years.  But this Monday?  Unless I'm called in for an emergency, I won't be in until tomorrow.  So this is the first day it's sinking in.  I really have semi-retired.  I really have a new schedule.

The rhythm is still new. The rhythm will take some getting used to.  Am I really supposed to be home?  Am I doing the right thing?

Somehow, I think I'll adjust.  Somehow, I think I'll get used to it.

New rhythms.

Until next time,

T. M. Strait