Transformation: The Things We Carry

March 12, 2021March 12, 2021 ~ wordancerblog ~ 8 Comments

What if I took my junky art drawer and treated it as a piece of art? What could I make? How could it become a pleasing aesthetic part of my art space? There was suddenly possibility instead of mess.

Trish on What My Mother is Still Teaching MeNovember 11, 2026
Precious, and so true...you are carrying your mother with you every day, in so many ways. This paragraph moved me…
Awakening Wonders on What My Mother is Still Teaching MeNovember 10, 2026
Your mom is a true superhero! To put other through college first, teach for 25 years, and raise creative children…
Linda on What My Mother is Still Teaching MeNovember 10, 2026
This is very powerful! It sounds like you had an amazing mother! Reading your post and your poems made me…
margaretsmn on What My Mother is Still Teaching MeNovember 10, 2026
I lost my mother only a year ago. She had been a teacher, too. I relate to your post today.…
Sharon Roy on What My Mother is Still Teaching MeNovember 10, 2026
Oh Word Dancer, Your writing has moved me to tears. Thank you so for sharing the love and learning between…

8 responses to “Transformation: The Things We Carry”

Maureen Young Ingram

March 12, 2021

Wow! Your writing shows how we can write into knowing, write into surprise revelations. I love your newly organized art drawer – and I love that you could connect it to Tim O’Brien’s book! Then you offer this reflection – “They smile, they laugh, they play, they keep their desks in order. But I know inside they are struggling to understand all the death and restrictions.” Oh my. I think you should bring found objects into your classroom and let students explore, imagine, and write – look how awesome your trek was!

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
Chris (ReadSoMuch)

March 12, 2021

Your slice has given me a lot to think about! We are working on decluttering but not completely emptying our basement. Thanks for some organizing and writing inspiration.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
Kristi Lonheim

March 12, 2021

This post is so dense with gems: junk, order, art, poetry. The thing that struck me the most was that you may have created a new genre of art – the junk drawer. You could start a worldwide art challenge. Choose one junk drawer. Using nothing other than the contents of the drawer arrange some (or all) of the items in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement and snap a picture. I would love to see the collection of photos that resulted from the challenge.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
elsie

March 12, 2021

I finished reading and my first thought was WOW! Then I saw Maureen’s comment and smiled. What a journey through the junk drawers! You have created a Bento box for your “junk.” 🙂 Then the poems so different and such a perfect addition to your prose.

LikeLiked by 1 person

Reply
Trina

March 13, 2021

Wow! Your junk drawer looks so appealing.

I used to love sorting through my grandma’s junk drawer when I went to visit – very little of it was junk to me!

LikeLike

Reply
aggiekesler

March 13, 2021

I love being organized…but when it gets out of hand, I don’t enjoy the process of organization. Looks like you’ve done a great job- so pretty!
I love The Things They Carried! I need to reread it. 🙂

LikeLike

Reply
Terje

March 13, 2021

To start with a junk drawer and end up with poetry about transformation. Your connection making and creative thinking create an enjoyable text.

LikeLike

Reply
Julie

March 13, 2021

I love your connection to The Things They Carried, and your approach to your junk drawers and art drawers. This morning, I helped my son reorganize his closet, and we both were really happy with the result. It feels so much better to look at a mess–physical or mental–and see possibility. You show this so well!

LikeLike

Reply