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Ich Bin Tot Müde

The analogy may seem a cliche, or it may feel overstated, but I assure you it is an accurate portrayal. The football star (you can imagine either world football (that which is called soccer in the U.S.) or U.S. football) came back onto the field for the first time after the recovery from his knee surgery. It was the first game that he had participated in in many, many weeks, and he felt a mix of anticipation, worry, excitement, concern, enthusiasm and dread. As the game started, and while the field felt familiar and the sites and sounds stirred passion in his memory, the arena did not feel natural. It did not feel akin to a tool for his work, but instead a slightly foreign and askew place. Still, moving, barking orders to others, running up and down the field, and manipulating the ball all felt good, and reawakened the senses. When the day was done, this football player felt more winded and tired than he had in years. It surprised and shamed him to see he was so far from where he was. But, it also gave him the determination to get back what he had lost.

Today was the first day of classes this semester. My voice is worn out from talking after a month of quiet. My mind is a bit rusty and creaky about just what to do or say or talk about. My feet feel sore from the more formal shoes I wear when teaching compared to the casual tennis shoes or loafers I wear other times. My neck feels chaffed from having buttoned my collar and worn a tie again after a few weeks away. It is beautiful being back in the saddle, so to speak, but I am pretty out of shape.... I am as my title suggests... dead tired.

PipeTobacco