Do what you can. Share what you can.

So, who are you going to be?

Teaching is reallly a 24/7 job as is parenting.  So much to do!  It is overwhelming. 

I think as you look at blogging or twittering or sharing anyplace online it is important to keep one thing in mind:

Share what you can, when you can and that is enough.

There is no doubt, often, I'm a binge blogger.  I've cut back on nightime blogging to be here for my children. I have a first grader and reading to him every night is a top priority -- 30 minutes to 1 hour a night with him - without exception.  Lots of other bloggers out there who will write, but none of them will read to my 7 year old - that is MY job.

Sometimes people say, "how do you do so much?"

What they don't know is I often feel like "how do I do so little?"

Behind on my email - a list of 100 things to do, so much going.  Everyone else seems to have time for webinars, courses, and conferences.

And yet, like the reading with my son, when my students walk in my room, I am 100%, totally theirs.  I give all I have, all I am, and everything that I have to them for that 50 minutes or so and again, during my planning.  I am theirs.

Some would say it is the tyranny of the urgent, but rather, I believe it is the importance of the urgent.  Someone must look at these kids and let them know how important and precious they are.

Sure, I'd love to be some amazingly relevant, super inspirational blogger and really, my goal is that someone out there needs encouragement. That is what I want to be.

I share my bookmarks and have Diigo auto post it.  I use twitterfeed to auto post my blog posts to my twitter feed.  I schedule blog posts ahead of time to spread things out.  Whatever it takes to automate, and be helpful.  I really enjoy blogging and writing and wish I had more time to do it.

However, there is one way to discourage yourself and drop out of EVERYTHING -- and that is to focus on others.  If you look at others and what they're doing, it is easy to feel tiny and insufficient. It is easy to feel inadequate and unimportant.

But, if that is the case, when I feel that, I have to ask myself:  "Why am I doing this?" 

Really, it isn't about me or any of us. 

But that somehow, if we share and help one another move ahead and improve and encourage each other to keep going, then we've accomplished something.

My wise granny always said, "Sometimes you've gotta let the rough end drag."

Your best is good enough. 

Keep the main thing the main thing but keep on going. 

Don't let your self-comparison of yourself to others let you get down and quit.   

Your blog post, your tweet, though it may be less frequent than a complete cycle of moon phases is still a contributor to the entire equation.

Keep it up, teacher.  Keep sharing.  Do what you can.  Share what you can.

Know that teaching is the most noble calling on earth! 
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