Life is Heavy, so Retreating, Whether with Colleagues or With Friends or With the Self, Should Be Prioritized

To begin any semester, ever, in the career of teaching, it is always commonplace to retreat, begin anew and to think collaboratively. That is how yesterday began for me and my colleagues in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions. The goal was to address where we think we are in terms of equity, diversity and inclusion, but the conversation turned to where we are as human beings, right now, in this time of history.

My colleague did a phenomenal job facilitating what I always did through the ACLU equity walk. Instead, and with much more robustness, she did a bead activity, where all of of us ended up with our own string of beads. Some commented today on the abundance of White beads, but without knowing, I happened to get what I got, including Black beads and the colors of my CNS and Syracuse alma mater.

Retreats are usually perfunctory and I multi-task to the nth degree to accomplish other goals. Yesterday, however, I listened, I absorbed, and I did a lot of critical thinking. Sometimes, when one is the one always facilitating, it is good to be in the role of listening, absorbing, and rethinking.

That is why, at night, I chose to retreat for myself. I was lucky to have Pam's driveway to park, and Glamis and I simply walked alone along the shore of the Long Island Sound in Milford. I came for the pre-Harvest moon, but also caught the tail end of the sunset.

What is the Edie Brickel lyrics? "I'm glad no one's here / just me by the sea / I'm glad no one's here / to mess it up for me / I'm glad no one's here / just me by the sea / but man, I wish, I had a hand to hold."

I didn't need a hand. Glamis is a great sunset/moonrise dog and she was all paw, licks, and cuddles as we sat in the sand.

It was beautiful, and I was surprised that there were so few people out to watch the almost-full orange moon as it came out over Charles Island. There was only one couple who were there with cameras, and another who caught it by
coincidence. They were in awe.

What was more powerful, however, and I've never seen this before, is the fact that four deer came out of the woods to walk on the beach, too. Glamis didn't even react (perhaps because she didn't see them). I think they thought she was one of them.

They came out and simply looked at the pinkish-orange moon as it rose into the sky. It was like they were there to see the same amazing event as I was. I looked over to them to mentally apologize that I had a dog with me, but they seemed to look at Glamis as if she was not a threat.  In fact, I think they saw her as one of them. We watched the Harvest moon come up together.

4 Does, intent on connecting with the orb in the sky.

I realized at that moment, I needed a retreat for myself, too. Usually, my Milford crew would be with me, but they were at an Irish festival, so I selfishly took this one in alone.

A retreat, with Glamis the Wonder Dog.

A retreat for me.