Thank you to the Two Writing Teachers and the Slice of Life writing community for providing this opportunity to share our "slices." Thanks to Stacey, Anna, Beth, Tara, Dana and Betsy for creating a place for us to share our work. Check out the other slices and join in the fun!
March 8th, 2003
Dread. Worry. Wonder. I was in my second year of teaching and was finishing my Master's Degree. The entire degree came down to one test. ONE comprehensive written exam. Somehow I never had the "must-have" professors that everyone raved about. I felt so pressured to perform on this test because it was the last step in obtaining my permanent certification here in NYS. The day before this test, my room parents in my classroom arrived and threw a good luck party. They brought me a beautiful "spa" basket with lavendar bath accessories, a Feng Shui CD, and other niceties. When the day arrived, I walked into the exam room and sat next to a bulletin board with a poster that had the following headline: Warning: High stakes testing...
Ironic.
March 8th, 2015
As I sit here typing and reflecting, this three year old little guy stops by saying "Mommy! M is for Matthew!"
Dread. Worry. Wonder. I was in my second year of teaching and was finishing my Master's Degree. The entire degree came down to one test. ONE comprehensive written exam. Somehow I never had the "must-have" professors that everyone raved about. I felt so pressured to perform on this test because it was the last step in obtaining my permanent certification here in NYS. The day before this test, my room parents in my classroom arrived and threw a good luck party. They brought me a beautiful "spa" basket with lavendar bath accessories, a Feng Shui CD, and other niceties. When the day arrived, I walked into the exam room and sat next to a bulletin board with a poster that had the following headline: Warning: High stakes testing...
Ironic.
March 8th, 2015
As I sit here typing and reflecting, this three year old little guy stops by saying "Mommy! M is for Matthew!"
Dates can stick
BUT
Time passes.
Worries change.
Worries change.
Perspective happens.
Your last lines resonate for me -
ReplyDeleteDates can stick
BUT
Time passes.
Worries change.
Perspective happens.
The picture of your little guy says it all. Great slice
Absolutely true! Thanks for sharing the perspective!
ReplyDeleteI love the juxtaposition of dates and content. Well done! Your poem does put it all in perspective!
ReplyDeleteThanks for noticing!
DeleteSo right; times passes and our perspectives change! Enjoy the years of discovery!
ReplyDeleteYou bet! Thanks, Jaana.
DeleteSo true, what we might be worrying about today is but a distant memory tomorrow. We should just worry about well....nothing. So easy to say and hard to do. Thanks for the reminder Marcie. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat point Tracey. Now if only it were that easy to not worry ;) I still give it a try though!
DeleteIt is funny how some dates stick in our mind! I am not good at remembering dates, so it is even more interesting to me when I suddenly remember something weird like the date of my high school crush's birthday! LOL (PS: I graduated 25 years ago. The human brain is fascinating!)
ReplyDeleteSo true! I would love to know how to commit a few other things to memory ;)
DeleteI love this post - the old one and the new right next to each other! What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteInteresting post! Yes, perspectives change with time - importance of things shifts.
ReplyDeleteLove the comparison of the dates and how our worries change!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a wonderful writer!
ReplyDeleteI like how you wrote about your life on two different dates.