It's been seventeen years since I was in the classroom.
A few things have changed.
The shoes I'm willing to teach in.
Smart phones.
Pronouns.
Adjustments for a pandemic.
Protocol for lockdowns.
My last name.
Many things haven't changed.
I still love it with every bit of my being.
When I observed my own spark and energy, my therapist pointed out: this is the first time in twenty years that I'm returning to something that I know. For the last two decades, everything has been new.
I had never had a baby.
I had never had two babies.
I had never been a widow.
I had never written a book.
I had never written a book, again. (Like a child, each one is different.)
I had never been a single mom.
I had never been married a second time.
Never had I ever.
And now I'm back in my lane.
Turns out, it's like riding a bike.
It's like falling off a log.
I know how to do this.
I feel like a fish in the sea.
I feel like a star in the sky.
I'm where I'm meant to be.
"What if somebody thinks you gave up on writing books?"
You can tell them I didn't.
I didn't give up - or give up on - anything.
I'm still writing the books, with two underway as I write this sentence.
I used to say, "I'm a teacher by trade and a writer by love."
Turns out, I'm both now - by trade, and by love.
But I will say this…
I got invited to two first graders' birthday parties this week.
And that's higher praise than any Amazon review.
Oh. MY. Goodness!!!! How blessed those little ones are to have YOU as their teacher! I know MY little ones were… but now they are nurses, with one looking to go on to get his doctorate and possibly even be a professor. You brought such a joy of learning to them… 17 years ago. ❤️
That is so awesome! The kids are so privileged! ❤️❤️❤️