Tuesday, October 2, 2018

What is time?




I am participating in the
Tuesday Slice of Life with Two Writing Teachers.
All participants are writing about one moment, one part of their day.
A big thank you to Two Writing Teachers for providing this unique opportunity
for teacher-writers to share and reflect.



I wrote a lot, this past summer. I wrote in my journal every day. I played around with some 'fiction' writing, for the first time in ages. I reflected on several key memories from earlier in my life and wrote about these. I participated in the weekly SOL challenges as much as possible. I tooled around with a second blog. Anyhow, point being - summer was a delight for my writing.

And then the school year began.

I have not felt as if I had time to sit and write in the morning since this school year began. Every school day is filled to the brim with school things, and no personal writing. Instead, I fill my weekends with 'catch up writing,' binge writing - the writer's version of the weekend athlete. 

Then I went on that silent retreat (10 days ago). The first Monday after the retreat, still under its spell, I lingered in bed for a moment, after the alarm went off. I let my thoughts flow. Then, I got up and made a cup of tea. Without any forethought, I opened my journal and began writing up a few of those flowing thoughts. I wrote for about 20 minutes.

I realized I could hear crickets cheering me on, yes yes yes yes yes yes...affirming the day ahead, affirming my writing. It was still and quiet in my home.

It turned out, I still had ample time to get out the door.

How did this morning move slower than normal?

Then, I thought - wait a minute, maybe I have time every single day?

I think part of my writing problem during this school year was simply posturing: I set myself up to believe the limitation, to think "I do not have time." In the transition from summer to school, my early morning alarm needed to be about work - to get going, with precision and readiness. I loved the leisure of summer and I saw the alarm as the death knoll on that easy routine. I thought - summer's over, and so is my leisure writing.

Also, I am trying to get out of the house fifteen minutes earlier than I did last year. So, to take a bit of time to write in the morning - well, that just seemed an extravagance I could not afford!

But then I did. Yes, I did. It worked just fine. And I have been writing every morning since!

What is time?


3 comments:

  1. This is just the inspiration I needed! I can connect to this on so many levels. I had big intentions to find time for my slow mornings as I enjoyed in summer. But with the same goals of getting to school early, it's been difficult. Hearing how rewarding it was for you is making me relive those dreams! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Congratulations on finding your early morning writing mojo! I remember reading an interview w/ Frank McCourt years ago in which the interviewer asked him, "What took you so long to write a book?" McCourt answered: "I was busy teaching." I thought about this reading your post. We do rationalize and explain our choices, and I know I'm not an early morning writer. I need to work to become one.

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  3. I like your goals as I’ve had the same ones this year: Get to school a little earlier and get up a little earlier so that I can write. I’m not sure that either has happened yet for me. Your post gives me hope that it can be done. Thank you.

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