Monday, April 18, 2016

Wheady Mile



From Byegones, May 20th, 1874:
'A wheady mile, a mile beyond expectation, a tedious one';...a long mile, a mile longer than it seems to be. And thus, too, every task or labour which turns out to be greater than was at one time anticipated, or anything that is peculiarly long, tedious, or wearisome, is a 'weady job,' or described as 'mighty waydy.' Anglo-Saxon wide, longus. The common word to wade is probably akin to this.

When the term wheady mile showed up in a Facebook post, the very sound of it struck my fancy. I determined to uncover how it might apply it to my life as well as to define it.

I am in the process of completing a wheady mile in my life.... one of those places and spaces ripe with the readiness to move on, yet I have not. This one involves my job. Being a teacher is not only what I do, but strongly who I am. Yet there are many pieces of the puzzle of public education today that have less to do with connecting with students and their learning than with proofing a product for college or employment. Each curve of the path lately turns back upon itself and provides shorter-lived moments of joy than previously experienced. It shouts to me of the need for shift. I am stepping away from the wheady mile and find a new path.

Can wheady mile apply to emotional states too? I'm bone-weary of waiting for changes to happen. Sometimes, the distance between making a plan, implementing and fulfilling it, is longer than expected. As I await this expected change, ready to move on, other opportunities percolate into view. I recognize some of them from past moments along the way. Others are totally new and offer a perspective not previously noticed.

I also feel more awake and aware now. My dreams have shifted as well. I spend time in preparation within them ~ cleaning debris away from a three-way intersection; directing people on how to cross a busy crosswalk-less street; hanging rugs and tapestries on huge lines in the sun; herding people into well-stocked, comfortable trucks for an important and necessary journey. Each of these are snippets carrying a similar theme AND each part of the whole speaks to an integral shift. The feeling is akin to sitting in an unfamiliar vehicle, preparing for a road trip: mirrors checked and adjusted, seat adjusted, steering wheel set-up and all gauges checked. These are slight shifts from getting into my own vehicle ~ common adjustments to fit me rather than the previous driver.

What does wheady mile mean to you? Is there something happening in your life that feels wearying to you? Is there a shift needed? What messages from your dreams align with this?

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