Yesterday, on February 28, a piece I wrote about the need for white parents to engage in equity work beyond black history month was published on EdPost (link at the end of this post). There is much for me to write about the equity work in my community, but I'm kicking off Slice of Life, Year 3 (whoo-hoo!) by celebrating writing in a personal way.
I love the birthday cards my children create. Each year, the best part of my birthday is getting handwritten cards with love notes (truly, love notes) that my kids write (not type), telling me what I'm doing right (it's nice to hear that list once a year).
I love the love notes my husband and I used to send each other. I keep promising myself that I will get a beautiful basket or fabric box and corral them all in one place, gathered from underwear drawers, between pages of half-read books, tucked in among graduate school files. Before we had children, we wrote cards to each other for each holiday (long notes, not just an "xo") and sometimes we shared them for no reason at all. As our 25th anniversary nears, could this tradition be one that I rekindle?
I love good pens... the way they inspire longer thoughts and adding details, because your handwriting looks better, that slightly thicker line that comes from using a Papermate pen or the familiar inky-ness of a ballpoint pen that is at the just-right moment of use (for me, after the first 1000 words or so, when the ink flows cleanly and the pen races smoothly across the page).
I love letters in the mail. Which means, like love notes, I should be writing them myself. I'm guilty of letting texts replace letters, and perhaps this month, in addition to blogging, I should commit to a weekly letter, as well, where I meander a bit on the page, sharing a slice, a memory, a hope or a dream with a friend who appreciates my love of pens. (Not a thank you note, a letter.) (That reminder is for me!)
So here we are, Day 1. I love writing. So let's get to it!
Birthday cards... and ice cream!
My blog post, co-crafted with a fellow white mom working on equity:
Lovely list of loves!
ReplyDeleteI, too, love a good pen. I carry Ink Joy pens around in my purse. My daughter always wonders why I take one out to write when there are pens available. (Think: Doctor's Office.) Part of it is because I'm a semi-germaphobe. The other part is because I just prefer the way MY pens feel in my hand.
I love smooth, flowing pens and lovely journals with high quality pages. I, too, enjoy handwritten letters and miss the days when writing letters was a regular part of everyday life, especially with my relatives who lived in other states.
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