The Slicing Community - A Field of Beans

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating a place to share our Slice of Life.  Read more slices or add you own here.

My original thought for a post today was irony - the irony of getting President's Day off because we have had no snow days and looking out the window to see 8+ inches of the lovely white stuff.

Then, last night happened - the Slice of Life Challenge Twitter Chat.

Participating in this chat reminded me just how special this community was.  It is one thing to read slices, share stories, and write comments once a week, but having a "live" conversation took it to a new level for me.  There were old seasoned slicers and new slicers all with a common goal - to share tips, ask questions, and encourage each other.  The chat had the feel of a reunion.

There are other communities in which I participate in conversations and chats, but they are not like this one.  Last night, I felt like I belonged there.  I felt like I had truly become part of this community.

It wasn't always like this.  I remember last March thinking there was no way I could write something for 31 days.  Listening to the new slicers last night, I could feel their fear along with their excitement.  I remember it well.

When I first began slicing it was like this bean field, a field full of slicers.  I was quite intimidated.  There were days when I felt like the corn stalk in the middle of the bean field.  I felt I was in a place where I didn't belong, way out of my comfort zone.  Could I write stories like the other slicers?  Would anyone find my writing interesting?  Who would read it?

I passed by this field many times last summer,
and I have waited for the perfect slice to use it.

It didn't take long to realize that I was among a group of wonderful people.  People who wanted me to grow right along side of them.  It didn't matter who was a bean plant or who was a corn stalk.  We were all growing writers, thriving in a field together.  Our harvest is in the month of March where we reap what we have sown all year.  We share stories, we share smiles, and yes, we even share tears...every single day.  But that is the wonderful bounty in it all.  That is this community, and I am so blessed to be a part of it.

I hope those of you who are reading today and are considering the March challenge, will just jump in and join.  I became a better teacher, a better writer, and a better person because of it.  And I don't even mind being that cornstalk anymore.