A month ago, I sang duets each morning with Mandisa as her voice boomed in my bathroom while I curled my hair.
Today, I was too busy brainstorming ideas for future slices to notice any of her words.
A month ago, I was a careful driver, mindful of every twist and turn I needed to make on my way to sub at a new school.
Today, I nearly missed my exit because I was lost in contemplation of the lessons I have learned from daily slicing,
how this challenge has changed me, and how I want it to keep changing me.
A month ago, I thought blogging was an individual, isolated hobby.
Today, I smile at how wrong I was, having experienced first hand the support, camaraderie, and even friendship that
abounds in this wonderful community of writers.
A month ago, I was terrified to click "publish" on my first blog post.
Today, hints of fear still resurface, but I now know that it's okay to be afraid, as long as it doesn't keep me from
trying.
A month ago, I thought that only people who led interesting lives wrote intriguing slices.
Today, I recognize that the best writers can transform even the most mundane, menial event into a beautiful,
descriptive, thought-provoking "slice of life."
A month ago, "surfing the web" in my spare time meant perusing Facebook and Pinterest.
Today, I find myself less interested in DIY crafts and more engrossed in exploring the writing craft of other slicers.
A month ago, "writers block" was an excuse not to write.
Today, it is an opportunity to persist.
A month ago, 31 days of consecutive writing seemed like a daunting, even insurmountable, task.
Today, it is an accomplishment I'm proud of.
Congratulations, Laura, on your accomplishment of 31 days of blog writing! Way to go!
ReplyDeleteOn March 1st, I felt like I had jumped off a cliff and today I feel like I can climb mountaintops! The inspiration comes from within but also from the supportive community of "Slicers."
I love the format of this post and how it captured the changes you've been through. Do you mind if I borrow the idea to use with my 7th graders. I bet they can see they many ways they've changed from the beginning of middle school to the end of this school year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay! I would love it if you used the format with your 7th graders. Thank you for that kind compliment. It is fun to write about and reflect on all the ways we change over a certain period of time. :)
DeleteAnd proud you should be! Way to go! I really enjoyed the contrast in this format. I'm going to show it to my students and encourage them to model their reflections off of it. My mom wrote her slice in kind of a similar format today -- you should check it out! :-) http://everystudenteveryday.blogspot.com/2014/03/i-used-to-but-now-i.html
ReplyDeleteLaura, congrats on your first SOL challenge! Quite an accomplishment. I love the format of your reflection. It's funny how the world around you just screams, "Tell my story." Hope to see you continue writing on Tuesdays!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on completing your first SOL Challenge! It's a huge accomplishment, and I can tell that you learned so much. I, like you, find myself thinking about potential slices during my commute. Thanks for sharing this cool reflection format! ;)
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