Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Treasured Slices

Thanks to Two Writing Teachers for creating this space to share our stories.  Read other slices or write your own and share here. 

It is hard to believe that another March Slice of Life Challenge is almost upon us.  This will be my third one, and I seem to be get more excited about writing each year.  This year I am attempting to also participate with my students in the Classroom Challenge.  Since I have over 100 students and since it is also my first time with the classroom challenge, it will be on a volunteer basis.  I am also letting them form writing groups to disperse the commitment a little.  We will see how it goes.  Now with my slice....

A couple of weeks ago, I read the book, The Hero Two Doors Down.  The book is written by Jackie Robinson's daughter, and it is about the relationship between Jackie and a little boy who lived "two doors down."  

It opens with the death of his father and a box.  In the box, Steven finds a letter written by his father prior to his death and a collection of "things."  The relationship between Steven and his father became strained through the years, and Steven was surprised by what he found.

"When I saw you put aside your boyhood treasures, I collected them in this box, knowing that someday you'd find the joy in their reflected memories."

As I read this, I thought about our slices that we write every week.  Our blogs are like little boxes where we collect our treasures. I recently went back and read my March slices, and those memories came flooding back.  

I know many of you write about your young children and grandchildren, and I envy you.  I have treasures from my children's childhood, but no written stories to accompany their memories.

I wish I would have been writing when my own children were little so that I would have a box of treasured slices to give them someday.  I can't change the past, but I can place these new treasures in my box and hope that someday my children find joy in my reflected memories.

11 comments:

  1. This is so sweet and makes me nostalgic for when my boys were little and oh so cute. They still are, but nothing's quite like those baby days, wouldn't you say?

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  2. Treasures in a box-lovely thought, Leigh Anne. Thanks for the quote. Best of luck with your writing for the March SOL.

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  3. I'm rIght there with you, wishing I'd written when my son was little. These slices are a moment frozen in time that can be visited over and over.

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  4. Yep, wishing I had written more when she was little. I like the image of a box of treasures, that is what they are- the few things I did write. But only if there were more! Well, onward and upward, right?

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  5. So beautifully described Leigh Anne. And so true - a treasure box of memories. This is absolutely motivating.

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  6. Leigh Anne, This book looks amazing! I have to say, I haven't gone back and reread my March slices, yet! I will be doing that soon. I, too, will be offering March SOL Challenge to my sixth graders as a CHALLENGE!!! Can't wait to see who joins me.

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  7. I love the way you ended this slice, Leigh Anne - what a great idea!

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  8. I just saw about this book, Monday, and will look for it, but what a beautiful thing he did. I love the way you connected it to our slices, Leigh Anne, treasures in a box. Happy Writing!

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  9. Such a beautiful post! I am looking forward to reading your post.

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  10. "Joy in their reflected memories" what a beautiful way to describe our slices. Like you, I wish I had been slicing when my kids were small, but I'm happy to have the past four years!

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  11. I love this idea about our slices. I didn't write when my kids were little either. This habit of writing everyday is more valuable than we can ever know.

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