This morning, I began helping a colleague set up her webcam at 8:30, then as I walked out, I was called into another place to help, and then another, and another... before I knew it, it was 12:30 and I hadn't set foot in my own classroom, but I felt so good nonetheless.
Being back in the building has been overwhelming at times, having to learn new technology like goosenecks, webcams, amplifiers, and what will cause feedback when and how... but it has also been so refreshing. I feel like myself again, I feel useful, and every time I can help someone solve a problem, I get that rush of adrenaline I've missed in the days of basement teams meetings. It's hard to know through a screen how overwhelmed someone really is or what problem they might be grappling with that they aren't mentioning... but in person, I can look around a classroom, see what needs to be done, and help with the doing.
I know I still have a lot to learn, but I'm feeling like this week I was thrown into a pool and asked to swim, and now I have the doggy paddle down. Now that I can stay afloat, I'll have time to move onto more advanced strokes. I'm excited for the possibilities!