Be Lyrical - SOS no. 80

 

I’m always looking for instances of people doing things for and with each other for pleasure, for passion, for camaraderie, from kindness. It’s the anthropology of people figuring out how to punctuate life with the lyrical.

[Debra Granik]

Making words dance; float across the page.

Giving ideas life and form and being.

Statements the proclaim.

Questions that inquire.

Composing for meaning and 

Bringing about order.

Writing Habit - SOS no. 78

 

Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog

First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not.

[Octavia Butler]

One writing habit that has stuck with me and brings me back to the page day after day is notebooking. Notebooking has helped me set and keep an intentional goal of writing every day.  It helps me to slow down and process my thoughts, because I'm writing in longhand; putting pen to paper.

I will admit that some days the habit looks like writing the date and one sentence, because that is ALL I can muster.

Other days, the habit looks like pages and pages of thoughts, worries, joys, prayers, poems, blog post ideas, and whatever else my muse inspires.

There was a time when I thought of notebooking as "just notebooking". I had deemed it less valuable than some other types of writing, particularly poetry and blogging.

In my maturity, I have come to appreciate notebooking and the time and space I make for it. Notebooking has become a habit that adds significant value to my writing life in general and to my self-care efforts. 

The Front Cover of My Current Notebook

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Catch Phrases - #SOS71

Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog

/’kaCH,frāz/ noun: a well-known sentence or phrase

1. "I am an Education Professional." - This statement was borrowed from a radio personality, who sometimes flubbed what she was trying to say. She would emphatically state, "I am a communication professional"; then, perfectly restate that which she had previously flubbed.  I liked it so much I adapted it my profession. I use it to remind myself that I am fully capable of handling all the craziness of being a teacher right now.

2. I follow #1 with "and I can do hard things." This one has been a mantra of. mine for very long time, thanks to Jennifer Laffin, creator of Teach Write, LLC. Both statements together are my 1-2-PUNCH for combatting the doubt that easily and often seeps in, as well as the feelings of being overwhelmed when "IT ALL" seems to never end; when I have more to do than the amount of time I perceive to have to get it done. 

 

Trying and Accepting #SOS

 

Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog

If something is important enough, you should try. Even if the probable outcome is failure.

[Elon Musk]

This quote resonates with me more this school year than any other. 

Every day I enter my classroom knowing my Scholars are important enough for me to try...whatever it is.

However, there are so many things being asked of teachers this year that it seems like failure is inevitable.

I will never stop trying, for my Scholars are important enough.

But I have radically accepted that my best will also have to be good enough.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic

Storms of Life - May 9, 2021

Storms of Life

*uncertainty of what is to come

*hardships associated with what currently is

*solutions/the end does not always come easy or when we want/expect

*worry can be inevitable

The storms of life come to make you strong. It's within the storms when you often realize what you are made of.

During to storm, a choice has to be made - often multiple times throughout - fight or flight, so to speak.

Many other thoughts are had also: 

Can I really handle this storm? Do I have what it takes? This is so hard? How will I ever get through this? If I hide/quit/ignore, maybe the storm will go away/work itself out.

I wonder how many people take time to reflect during or after experiencing storms in their lives? Do people evaluate how they have change as a result of their experience? What did they learn? What worked? What didn't? How are they different for better or worse as result of the storm?

This scripture came to mind as I prepared to write this post. James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (NIV)

As a woman of faith, I am still a work-in-progress when it comes to "counting it all joy" regarding storms, but my faith allows me to experience storms from a different perspective.

I’m joining an open community of writers over at Sharing Our Stories: Magic in a Blog. If you write (or want to write) just for the magic of it, consider this your invitation to join us. #sosmagic