After
having read in "Why Teaching Is Harder Than It
Looks" the words, "You measure inspiration 25 years later when that hot-shot doctor, or lawyer, or entrepreneur thanks her fourth-grade teacher for having faith in her and encouraging her to pursue her dreams," I thought, yikes. Yes, of course, I knew this, but seeing it written out in black and white was something else. Sometimes, just wrapping up a semester feels like it takes an eternity.
If you are like me, as soon as school ends, you feel compelled to seek out instant gratification by obtaining or reorganizing concrete objects. When you work with minds and live a life in the mind, there are usually no visible signs of progress. So, a few times a year, I just have to go nuts. When a simple, concrete, uncomplicated goal arises, I have to pursue it with a vengeance. Husband has burned off the corners of current potholders? OK. Must. Buy. New. Ones. Now. How late is Bed, Bath and Beyond open? The straightforward prospect of immediate, tangible success is irresistible.
One summer, I asked a colleague if she, too, felt oddly compelled to tackle home improvement projects as soon as school got out. "Oh, yes. I just re-did both my kids' rooms. I found a horse lamp on Amazon.com!"
I've read things to the effect that extroverts are more likely to seek out instant gratification because they have better dopamine receptors or something like that so the gratification they feel is actually better. Figures. Sigh. Despite this, I just wanted to point out that sometimes we introverts need our instant gratification, too.
So, go ahead. Indulge. Buy those potholders and horse lamps, introverts.
If you are like me, as soon as school ends, you feel compelled to seek out instant gratification by obtaining or reorganizing concrete objects. When you work with minds and live a life in the mind, there are usually no visible signs of progress. So, a few times a year, I just have to go nuts. When a simple, concrete, uncomplicated goal arises, I have to pursue it with a vengeance. Husband has burned off the corners of current potholders? OK. Must. Buy. New. Ones. Now. How late is Bed, Bath and Beyond open? The straightforward prospect of immediate, tangible success is irresistible.
One summer, I asked a colleague if she, too, felt oddly compelled to tackle home improvement projects as soon as school got out. "Oh, yes. I just re-did both my kids' rooms. I found a horse lamp on Amazon.com!"
I've read things to the effect that extroverts are more likely to seek out instant gratification because they have better dopamine receptors or something like that so the gratification they feel is actually better. Figures. Sigh. Despite this, I just wanted to point out that sometimes we introverts need our instant gratification, too.
So, go ahead. Indulge. Buy those potholders and horse lamps, introverts.
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