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Each day during March, I am participating in the Two Writing Teachers Slice of Life Story Challenge (SOLSC). All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day, every day for thirty-one days. My slices will be primarily about teaching preschoolers. Check out the Two Writing Teachers website for lots more reflections on teaching. Thanks especially to Stacey, Tara, Anna, Beth, Dana, and Betsy for hosting this writing challenge.
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When I had virtually the same experience at the outset of my school day and, again, when I entered my home that evening, I decided to write about it!
Ode to a Shared and Disorganized Life
I know I have this book.
I own it, I bought it, I put it with all my other picture books.
I know I saw it in these stacks.
Where could it be?
I search and search and search through the spines, thinking,
Why didn't I put these in some sort of order?
What if I categorized them?
What if they were alphabetized?
Where could it be?
There's too many different hands on these stacks,
there is no sense in trying to put them in order.
Oh, maybe I moved it over near my lesson plans, since I knew I was reading it this week,
Wait, I don't think I looked for it then...I got sidetracked...
Wait a minute, did I put it in my backpack with those others?
Did I leave it at home when I was preparing lessons?
Is it on my dining table at home?
Where could it be?
I know I have this book.
When did I last read this book?
Was it last year? Before our move?
Goodness it could be anywhere!
Oh, maybe it got moved by accident to the early childhood library?
Yikes, I can't begin to look out there! No time for that!
Or did Aftercare ask me for this same book?
I wonder if the children have been getting into my books!?!!
I know I put all my favorites up high, so that they could not reach.
How long have I wasted looking for this book now?
Wasn't it a small book? Let me look again, just focusing on the short spines...
I'm going to have to buy another copy of this, if I can't find it.
It is a classic.
Where could it be?
What if I look through the books backward?
Yes, start with the lowest shelf and move up?
Would it jump out at me then?
I know I saw that book!
Where could it be?
"Mom, have you seen my sweatshirt? I want to take it back to college with me."
I know I saw that sweatshirt.
Have you checked the hall closet?
The upstairs closet?
Where could it be?
Here, I'll help you find it,
Let me go through the closet, one hanger at a time,
I know it is black, right?
Let me just look for black ones.
I search and search and search through the closet, thinking,.
Why doesn't he know where his own things are?
Why don't we have some sort of system?
After all these years, you'd think there would be one single location!
Where could it be?
I know I saw that sweatshirt.
Oh, maybe it is still in the laundry?
Did you check all the laundry baskets?
And the dirty clothes?
What about the trunk of your car?
When did you last wear it?
Wait, you haven't had it since last semester?
Goodness, it could be anywhere!
Did you have it at school last semester?
Could it still be there?
You haven't seen it?
Where could it be?
How long have I wasted looking for this sweatshirt now?
Oh, what about the guest room?
Didn't we throw things in there when you got home last semester?
Did we check that closet?
Why do you need this today?
Did you come home just for this sweatshirt?
Where could it be?
Let's look through Dad's things,
maybe I mixed things up when I was putting things away.
I know I saw that sweatshirt!
Where could it be?
Around and around and around, I go.
I saw myself in your book search. I lose books all the time, and many of them are ones I have not read. I'm not good at keeping track of books students check out. I boy in one class moving; I forgot to ask him for the book from my library when I signed his check out sheet yesterday. I thought about it when I arrived home.
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