My focus this month is to explore writing invitations, mostly through newly published picture books, but possibly some other mentor texts as well.
Forever or a Day by Sarah JacobyBeautiful illustrations and a challenge for young people to think philosophically and abstractly. I would add it to a TIME theme topic unit some teachers and I put together for Tuck Everlasting (I'd be happy to share that - just let me know!). Great invitation for kids to write about their own thoughts about time. Reminded me of Infinity & Me by Kate Hosford.
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Invitation: Time. What does it mean to you?
My daughters are turning 23 (February) and 26 (March). I'm 52. My husband is 53. My dog is 9. How did this happen?! Time. Time flies. It goes faster every year, and I'm amazed by it. I'm a little scared of it. It can creep and crawl when looking at the clock, and then whisk right by when you're not looking.
I let some time slip by when I wasn't writing. Some of it was because of a job change. Some of it was life circumstances. Some of it was that I just let writing drop. As I was preparing for participating in this SOLSC again, I reread some old blog posts. I realized I was writing down the moments. I was writing down thoughts, feelings, memories, ideas. I was capturing life before it slipped away. I was living life twice. Writing makes time matter. It makes it slow down. You notice it. You care about it. You process it. It means more when you write about it.
Actually it doesn't have to be writing. It could be art. Music. Pottery. Making things. Talking to people. Building community. Serving others. Praying. Meditating. Working hard. Planting things. Shifting others' thinking. Protesting. Loving your family, friends, neighbors. Cooking. Running. Taking care of pets. Sewing. Championing a cause. Giving money. It's doing whatever makes time matter to you. Something that will last beyond you and capture what life means to you. Your passion. Your contribution. Your time.
On one page of Forever and a Day, a beautiful illustration of a family embracing accompanies the words, We've only got what we've got. That's so true. How will you make it matter?
Writing Down the Bones is one of my all-time favorite books about writing!
Our thoughts were kind of similar today - I even referenced Tuck Everlasting! And I love that Goldberg quote!
ReplyDeleteSo true! We watched old videos with the kids tonight and I cried! Real tears. I miss those slower days but want to remember all of this too. Thanks for reminding me to look around and capture all the little moments.
ReplyDeleteTime. So bittersweet to think about times past. But looking forward is exciting. The hardest thing to do is just be in the moment we have right now. Be present. Love the Goldberg quote. It's probably underlined in my own book.
ReplyDeleteI love that you've listed out things that make time matter to people. There are so many ways to express how we make sense of the time we're given. It's so good to hear your writing voice again!
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