A full day. Read a book in my son's class, one that teaches about kindness, as part of a local program in which parent volunteers read books about kindness and prevention of bullying to their classes; then four parents, myself included, acted out short skits about kindness, choosing somewhat ambiguous situations for the children to think about (for instance, helping someone with a math problem, but saying, "That's so easy!" before any help is offered). It was great to be in his class, getting to know these six-year-olds, still babies in some ways, very mature in others...some of them wild and outspoken, others completely withdrawn. All of them, just about, wide open and hungry to learn. First grade seems like a wonderful grade to teach.
An hour after that, volunteered in an indoor play space that is open at my son's school at recess; sixty or more kids doing origami, chess, building with magnet-blocks, reading books, etc. It's that kind of school, where a large number of kids are doing origami and playing chess on a regular basis. (My son has discovered neither of those activities.)
This evening, called one of my aunts in Japan, after many months of hesitating, wondering if she was well enough to take a phone call. She was, but after a few minutes of conversation I think she was tired, or sad to hear my voice from so far away, or both; she mentioned also that she's only walking with great difficulty. I hung up the phone both exhilarated and deeply saddened.
In the middle of the day, completely rewrote a story that I'd almost thrown out, about a suicidal woman. The first version of the story was awful, just trash. This one seems, well, maybe not trash. Maybe this 54-year-old woman makes sense as a character; maybe I've made it so the reader will believe she is struggling with immense pain. Will have to read it again tomorrow to be sure.
A scattered day, too much going on...but most of it good.
No comments:
Post a Comment