I'm attempting to write everyday in March.Today is post 11 of 31.
When I first joined the blogging community back in 2011, I quickly started writing Slice of Life posts with the Two Writing Teachers community. I remember asking Ruth Ayres what a "slice" was and she told me just to look for the small moments in your day. I loved that notion. Big events often get written about, remembered. But the small moments are what fill up our lives. If we learn to find value in them, our life will be greater for it.
Today I was coming home from teaching Confirmation class and wondered what I would write about for this post. My first thought was of big moments - what happened today? Nothing, really. Then I recalled Ruth's words and decided to recount here what brought me joy today. Those small moments mean a lot, and they do fill me up to the brim.
Each morning I wake up and walk Leia, then Rosie. I could walk them together, but it's easier not to. Normally, it's a mile loop for each pup. Lately, it has been closer to a half mile. First, because it was cold. Later, because I was sick. Now, because I'm lazy. Need to get back to our mile path, they both enjoy it. And with the time change today, the sun shone down and my heart felt light.
Books
I'm a reading machine. And while I'm still reading picture books, middle grade, and YA (just finished Holly Black's Cruel Prince. WOW!), I've been a romance reading machine. Oh my goodness, I cannot express enough how much I've enjoyed this reading just for me and not necessarily for my students. How I love talking about the newest book I'm reading with my friend on Voxer every morning. So much fun!
Church
Luke and I had to trek to Champaign to make a mass time today, but it was worth it. The church we attended was the one that Chris and I got married at back in 1996. As I looked up to the beautiful alter, then up to the midnight blue ceiling with stars stenciled in, then finally to my tall son sitting by my side, a tightness came over my chest and I felt the tears come to my eyes. Never would I have thought back on that June day that I'd sit in the same place so many years over with my own child, filled up with love. It took my breath away.
Humor
On Sunday nights I teach twenty-six 8th and 9th grade students for Confirmation class in our Catholic Church. This is a co-taught class with a friend and colleague from the school district. Tonight we talked to the kids to prepare them for Confirmation, which is just over a month away. Whether it was from the kids or my colleague, I laughed most of the 90 minutes. Excellent way to end my weekend.
While practicing for said Confirmation, we filed out of the church. As we stood on the sidewalk a student said, "Hey Mrs. S, check out the sunset." It was beautiful. I wanted to capture it, but didn't have my phone with me. Luckily Luke begrudgingly took the photo for me, shaking his head at my quirks. That's good with me, I'm glad to be a person who can appreciate beauty when I see it. Watching the sun drift down as I listened to the Confirmation students chatting around me I was filled up with the bounty of my day and my life.
I am blessed.
