Now, she’s gone, and I’m trying to find my way in the wake of this darkness. How do I walk on towards old age? How do I live fully with joy and optimism while holding pain and anxiety at bay?
Tag: encouragement
One Little Word – Zest, 2025
I keep thinking about the perfect word as my touchstone for 2025. In the past, I’ve chosen: remember, purpose, and settle. Those are important words and they kept me set on a definite path the last three years. This year, I searched for a word that would reflect who I am now at the beginning of 2025, at the precipice of my 69th year.
A Lark and a Prayer: Music in the Classroom
Last week, I was reminded of the importance of music. This reminder came in the form of a six-year-old girl named Lark.
Showing Up
I have shown up for kids for forty-six years. It is my greatest achievement – this showing up – this putting intentional time into something as important as children. I love watching children grow and develop. I like being the one who cheers them on through the struggles.
That’s Silly! Learning and Laughing
Last spring, I submitted a poem for possible publication in Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong’s new anthology, Clara’s Kooky Compendium of Thimble Thoughts and Wonder Fuzz. Janet and Sylvia have been wonderful supportive of my poetry and my creative process. I can’t thank them enough for encouraging me to get silly again.
Autumn Revelry: A Journey of Relaxation & Reflection
In October, I’m a charged particle frantically going in one direction hoping not to overload my circuits and short out or go up in flames. So, I know I must take out a little time for myself to hideaway and enjoy autumn’s splendor.
Putting in Pencil Miles
I know to get good at anything, you must put time into it. “Practice makes permanent,” as the saying goes. Recently, I read David Sibley refer to his development in drawings birds as "putting in pencil miles.,” which is a term used by nature journalist to describe the practice that goes into honing their craft.
Leaf Peepers
As soon as I saw the mountains, my shoulders dropped and my spirits soared. The beauty I saw was healing and restorative. I was reminded just how wondrous our little planet is, and that no matter how busy we are, our little blue and green Earth keeps on spinning. The rotating seasons and give us a splendid art show.
Refill Your Cup: Finding Balance in Teaching
This week, my joyful moment came in the form of a little second-grade girl named Victoria. Victoria rarely smiles and usually speaks in a whisper. Her writing, however, is full of sophisticated humor. I know that there is a sparkly little girl inside her somewhere.
Look up! A Supermoon!
This week the moon is on the rise. It is a full harvest moon and a lunar eclipse. It is magical and wonderful to take a moment and gaze up into the night sky as the moon ascends. I told a group of kindergarten students to be on the watch for it, and they came back the next day to tell me what they saw.
Word Dancer: Literature, the Arts, & Education 