A Time to Take Stock

I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions. In fact, most years, I just blow them off -- why does one day signify the starting point for change more than any other?During this vacation - yet another perk of working in a school system is the week off between Christmas and New Year's Day - I've begun to read Eat, Pray, Love. Even after finishing just half of it, I'm finding a real connection to this book. Although much older than the author, I've felt the same, wanted to search for the same inner peace.During last month of school, both student and professional demands made for a very stress-filled and difficult time.  If you're in education, you know what I'm talking about and if you're not, you'd probably not understand it anyway, so I won't waste energy on a list. Less is more. Worrying, wondering how we'll meet our financial obligations. Adjusting to life as a almost-retiree (5 more years!). All of it has taken a toll.Yet, when I look back on 2010, while I am "done" with it, I still feel fortunate. Just breathing is a victory. There have been moments when the opposite seemed a desirable alternative. So I celebrate that I am here and I get another opportunity to set things right.What kinds of resolutions do I hope and pray for? For one, I want to be less OCD about my professional life. This week, I've awakened several mornings at the late hour of 7 am to find that there actually can be daylight. In place of leaving my house at 6 am, would the world be any less well off if I left at 7?What to do with that "extra" hour in the morning? I keep reading about the effects of  sleep deprivation - which has been a way of life for about 5 years now. Maybe I'll just sleep. Or meditate. Or do something entirely selfish like read a book or listen to music. Or exercise.But maybe I'll just sleep. That's a place to start.