When we pause to celebrate, we find the joy.
A week filled with moments to celebrate and remember!
1. TIME to purge paper!
I'm working on the boxes of paper I brought home from school when I retired a year ago. I know it's been a year, but this is a tough project for me and I had a busy year - more working than I had expected and our kitchen remodel (excuses, excuses). I've tried Kondo's (the life-changing magic of tidying up) question, "Does this spark joy?" Unfortunately, almost all the papers from my teaching life do just that. So my daughter insists that I follow up that question with "Will I use this again?" I'm also trying to ask myself, "Can I access this online?" That's not an easy question when it comes to my Choice Literacy stuff. I'm not sure that I'll always be a member, so maybe I need to keep some of those articles after all!
So, I'm celebrating that I've made some time for purging this past week, but in the interest of painting my life as it truly is and celebrating the grit also. . .
I must admit that it's easy to get bogged down and feel like
I'm drowning in the attempt. Suggestions, dear friends?
On to easier topics:
2. Rain!
Hopefully it will help with our forest fires.
3. Gray days!
I know I'll be taking those words back soon,
but for now I'm glad our gray blanket has returned.
4. Roses!
I'm not a gardener, but our summer filled with sunshine and almost no rain
has produced gorgeous roses that I've enjoyed bringing inside.
Here are the same roses on three consecutive days.
Thursday
Friday
Here are the same roses on three consecutive days.
Saturday
5. A visit from Renae!
She was in the area to work on their place at Kalaloch, but I got lucky and she spent the last night at our place before flying out on Tuesday. We enjoyed a
walk and breakfast at Chace's before she dashed off to the airport.
6. These words of inspiration for my teacher friends from Lois Lowry!
(Yes, I did find these words while purging paper.)
"Each of us here today has chosen the way in which we will be a friend to children; the gifts that we will give to them. The way I have chosen is to write stories. For all of us, it is our stories, as we tell them to each other, which explain the complex and tangled patterns that human lives and relationships create. They allow us to forgive ourselves for the messes we make of things; to comfort ourselves in the pain of the things we can't control. And through fiction—through stories—most of all, we remind ourselves that we are not alone in the difficult journeys
we all undertake."
"Down those treacherous bright streets
and the dark paths today's children travel,
they need our companionship, our respect,
our outstretched hands."
and the dark paths today's children travel,
they need our companionship, our respect,
our outstretched hands."
- From her speech "Bright Streets and Dark Paths"
Click on the title for a link to Lois Lowry's
blog and speeches.
Good plan...Does this spark joy? Will I use this again? Can I get it elsewhere? Love the rose photos.
ReplyDeleteLois Lowry is wise isn't she? I hope that we'll continue to benefit from your purging and saving and sharing, Ramona. I have no comfort for you. I've re-cycled many a paper, still have years of my In The Middle journals. I would guess that one box at a time might be a useful goal. If you ever move you might have to do more (ha ha). Love the roses, gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThe follow up questions for your paper purge are good ones. I have been working on this project too - trying to get ahead of the game :) Now I am working on purging my closet. Always something
ReplyDeleteWow, those roses are amazing! I need to find a copy of this speech, Ramona - what a wonderful quote.
ReplyDeleteTara, I made a link to the speeches on her blog.
DeleteWho knew that drought conditions were good for roses. They are beautiful. Purging anything is difficult for me. Last night I told someone I didn't want to sell my house because I couldn't deal with the purge.
ReplyDeleteHi Ramona, Your roses are beautiful. That in itself is reason to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteI'm at the same point in my career as you and I have LOTS of paper to purge. I've been giving things to new teachers. Thanks for sharing the Lois Lowry quotes. I'm adding them to my paper piles.