Each profession has it's own idiosyncrasies. I've taught public high school, been a music minister, built houses, and taught college. Teaching college is rewarding and not too difficult. The students want you to teach them in the music area. Occasionally someone wouldn't work, but you just failed them. Being a music minister is complex, but it is also not difficult most of the time. Building houses is a management problem and scary. Lots can go wrong, and subcontractors are sometimes devious and willful. But teaching public school is a challenge every minute of every day. There are no moments of rest. I see 320 students each day and many of them will call my name. Half their questions are already answered somewhere on the board, but they ask me anyway. It wears you down.

One of the odd things that happens to you is that when there is a substantial break, like two weeks for Christmas holiday, the teachers dread going back. I don't remember anything like this as a student. It is no matter that I thoroughly enjoy my day and my students and their shining faces. It is just one of those things that comes with being a school teacher.

I have to teach for seven and a half more years, or at least for one more year to secure my pension, and then find something else to challenge me. But I also can't imagine myself without choirs to conduct. Could it be as interesting to try and mentor young teachers? I never felt really mentored by my instructors in education. I rather found them out of touch with teaching. There was little of what they talked about that I ever used. Rather I learned to teach in workshops and summer courses, led by other teachers. They told me what they were doing that worked. How to control the choir, how to move them forward, how to motivate them. What will I do after age 60? Can I physically do the work of a high school conductor at that age? As I look around, I don't see any conductors that age. Not a good sign. I guess I'll find my way as time goes on.

I'm back to work tomorrow. Students on Tuesday.