Needs & Wants

I've always taught my kids about prioritizing wants and needs. My children's needs have always come before my own wants, for example. Now it's time to learn that lesson myself. Needs come before wants. My own needs must come before my own or other people's wants. I need: sleep, food, air, water, rest, health, safety, sanity, moderate exercise, and a creative and social outlet (as needed).

I may want success, recognition, to help others, to improve myself, and to heal the world, but my basic needs must come first. First and foremost, I need to be safe from harm: ahimsa. I provide for my safety, security, and basic needs first -- and for the safety and basic needs of my children -- and the rest is gravy. Amen.

As for wanting -- success, recognition, self-improvement, and to help and heal others and the world -- I can now achieve all that much better and easier through writing than through teaching. I can reach many more people, and more effectively, through the written word (and publishing and the wonderful internet!), than I can through teaching.

Writing, I can truly go with my own flow and honor my body's needs for rest and health. Teaching is a tiring expenditure of energy for me now -- I must be "on" even when I'm hurting or exhausted -- and even then I can only reach a handful of students.

I feel so glad and grateful for the many classes I've been able to teach, and I love my students so dearly, but now it's time to move on. I wish all my students health, peace, and happiness, now and always.