Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Two Writing Teachers
Blogging
with some regularity has been tough since going back to school. I woke up this
morning, groggy, and wondered what day it was. Realizing it was, in fact,
Tuesday, my first thought was Slice of
Life.
But what
to slice about? I read Franki’s slice and once again longed for Starbucks in my
town. Driving to get Starbucks is a fifty-mile round trip drive. And I have
done it on many a weekend, but daily? No. Finishing Franki’s post I was
reminded of the importance of the small moments. I try really hard to find joy
every day. My husband now knows my neurotic joy I get from getting the light
blue Fiesta plate. He tried to grab one of the stack for me the other day, and
I had to explain that I can’t get it by picking it out, I find joy in getting
that plate when it is the one on top, by chance. He smiled and asked why we
just don’t get a set of that color. I told him it just wouldn’t be the same.
Plates,
yep. That brings me joy. Thinking back over the weekend, I thought of a few
others.
Luke
getting his haircut. Luke cracks me up. Sensory things are interesting with
him. We can be walking in a museum we’ve never been to and he has to bend down
to feel the marble floor. He’s fast; you’d miss it if you hadn’t looked right
then. The seam of the sock used to drive him mad. And his t-shirts must be a
certain fabric and weight. Thicker cotton, stands away from your body. Soft
cotton clings and makes him warm. Now when he was younger, it had to be soft.
Now, forget about it. Haircuts drive him bonkers. The combing and cutting tugs
at his scalp. He now laughs, I laugh, the hairdresser laughs. This time I took
a picture so he could see himself. Hilarious!
Chris dug
up this photo of my first class in Monticello – August 2000. I can’t believe it
was that long ago. I did a check; still remember all of their names. Now they’ve
graduated college. Love these kids.
A photo
sent to my phone from Liam’s friend’s mom. Liam hates riding a bike. We’ve
taught him, but he’s just not confident. This photo made me smile. He’s getting
braver each day.
My love
for Starbucks was documented above. A weekend trip there and the bookstore?
Awesome!
True joy
can be summed up in this photo. As a teacher, I am well aware of how quickly
time passes. The students are in my class one day and, before I know it,
graduating from high school. So I relish all the time we have together. Turning
around from the kitchen counter where I was cooking, I saw this. I find joy in
the fact that they choose to sit in the kitchen where I am rather than spread
out in the house. I find joy in the fact that they are both here, at home. I
find a lot of joy in the act of reading – not because I said they had to, but because
they both wanted to.
My
students tend to tease me, ask if I’m happy every day all day long. I’ve shared
with them my secret, and now with you. Don’t wait for the big things to come
along to make you happy. Don’t wait for life to be perfect to find happiness.
Find joy in the every day, in the small moments. Life is short. Enjoy it.
