“Just keep moving forward and don’t give a shit about what anybody thinks. Do what you have to do for you.”
― Johnny Depp

I’m a sucker for a good quote, and this one by Johnny Depp spoke to me today – timely advice for Don on his last day of being a teacher at Horton High. Thirty-two years of getting up early, going to school, teaching, counselling, organizing, marking and planning would have exhausted a lesser person (like me!) much earlier. He’s a great teacher and Horton won’t be the same without him, but I’m so happy he’ll finally get the time he so deserves to write songs, play guitar, do nothing when he feels like it – and occasionally vacuum up some dog hair 🙂 and deliver cups of tea to me while I’m writing.

Other than being so ridiculously happy for him, I’m incredibly grateful – If he hadn’t gone to school (almost every single day for all those years  (if only teachers could get paid retroactively for unused sick days!) I wouldn’t have had the enormous privilege of being home with my kids when they were little (and bigger), nor would I have had the time to invest in becoming a writer. So, thank you, Don – last word to your rock and roll hero:

“We said we’d walk together baby come what may.That come the twilight should we lose our way.If as we’re walkin a hand should slip free,I’ll wait for you
And should I fall behind,Wait for me.”
― Bruce Springsteen