Finding My Flow Again
August 28, 2026 – A Photo of Today’s PatioPic
Does it feel like fall again? It’s starting to look that way. I’ve been thinking about these #patiopics that I take and post onto X (formally known as Twitter). I started posting a daily #patiopic during the pandemic when I was trapped, in isolation, in my one bedroom apartment in Prince George. Admittedly, that time was somewhat grim and lonely, but it was also a good time for reflection, self-care, and humour. Posting a daily #patiopic entertained me during that time and it has not stopped since. I’ve tried to terminate the daily post, but then I would bump into somebody and they would either give me a suggestion for the post (i.e., during travel), introduce themselves to me because they know me from my patio pics, or pay a compliment to me and my patio pics. As a result, I would re-start again. No complaints. It’s been 6 years and it’s still fun.
Posting a #patiopic is like connecting with a friend. Whether if we’d connect in the morning, evening, or afternoon, I enjoy making my daily post on X and now on BlueSky. It brings me a bit of happiness. As much as Twitter has transformed into something else, I still like to contribute something that give me (and maybe others) a bit of joy. Right now, my #patiopic collides with my weekly blog post. I love taking a moment in my day, once a week, to pause and reflect. We just finished the UNBC Teaching and Learning Conference. Day 1, I was more of the participant, and I got to go outside for a land-based learning workshop in the afternoon. I really needed to be at that workshop, personally and professionally. On Day 2, I presented twice in the afternoon. Although I had wished the attendance was better, I was really happy and proud about both presentations and how they went. I felt really good about the effort and prep that went into both presentations. and the collaboration I had in both teams to make each presentation possible. I also loved the keynotes and other presentations. I am filled with gratitude.
Now that I am blogging and listening to the rain pour outside my office window, I am left to wonder about next steps, the new term, and the work I want to accomplish. I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts that my kid has moved out… not far away… and I’m starting a new school year with new hopes and dreams. The rain is just pouring right now. The metaphor has not escaped me. The renewal… the cleansing… a new beginning. That’s where I feel where I am today… finding my flow, again… but this time, on my own terms. I have been going to physio, regular massages, and trying to create habits to support longevity and health. It’s an interesting time in this chapter of life. Being AUTHENTIC and true to myself is a practice. And, I’m understanding that I make decisions each day that will impact the future… as my friend would say, KARMA. So, who is this authentic self? Who am I? One of my presentations (within a presentation) quoted Parker Palmer about the value of self-knowledge and good teaching. I do have a list of things to do, but there is a part of me that would like these things to be aligned to who I am and my purpose. I heard a local Indigenous word used during the land-based workshop that meant “aligned.” Trust me… it struck a chord and caught my attention. In 2017, I gave a TEDx talk on ALIGNMENT. At that time, I was in search of my place and my purpose. So much has changed since then. At that time, I just defended my dissertation, I was a school trustee, I was married, and I lived in the Lower Mainland.
Huh? I am somewhere else.
Admittedly, I am in a good place. I am an Assistant Professor at the university, I’ve returned to teaching, I’m single, and I live in the Central Interior of BC. I have found my people, and keep finding them. I am doing work that I love and care about. And, I am living on my own… and proud of my kid for finding her independence as an adult who just completed her degree and bought her how place. I feel that I have done my mom job… and successfully. Like my mom, I think the mom-role is ongoing, of course, but the context is now different. My kid is well on her way into adulthood and making her own decisions without mom’s firm suggestions or guilt. LOL. I am thrilled about that and I am also excited for the work that’s ahead of me. This clarity of self, or self-knowledge, not only contributes to my practice as a teacher educator which complements my subject knowledge and knowledge of the learner, but also to my personal life. What’s important to me and why does it matter? I held that question for many years provoked by the pandemic. The more I know myself, the better I can make decisions, make choices that are good for me, and enjoy the work I get to do in life and work. Nothing is permanent.
I feel this moment of renewal because it’s been 8 years at the university. It seems that I doing things in cycles of 8 years, at least in adulthood. Sixteen years in teaching (my kid was born in the middle of that 16-year stretch), a two-term school trustee, and now 8 years at UNBC. I’m not looking for radical change, per se, even though it has been quite a pedagogical journey to get where I am today. I am thinking more about what brings me joy, what makes learning fun, and how can I hone the skills required to live my life to the fullest at home and at work. I think I am a pretty good place now. Not much phases me like it did before. I’m not quite sure if that’s a good or bad thing… but it’s a thing. Let’s see how the next 8 years go. I am excited that I am even taking this pause while listing and tackling the things I need to get done before the school year begins. All is good. 🙂