I was visiting a school last spring when I mentioned to a couple of teachers that I still had some of the stories I’d written when I was a kid. “You should use them in your presentations,” one teacher said.
The other teacher agreed. “Kids would love to see what you wrote when you were in school.”
What a great idea! I thanked the teachers and made a mental note to visit the basement where I’d stashed my old stories and poems in a box. I seemed to be remember that most of what I’d saved was from middle school and high school, but I hoped to turn up something that would strike a chord with the younger grades, my usual school-visit audience.
But before I ever looked for the box, I had to go down to the basement in search of something totally unrelated — I don’t remember what. As I pulled stacks of papers and boxes off shelves that hadn’t been touched for years, I saw five yellowed pieces of lined paper stapled together. It was the kind of paper used in elementary schools a LONG time ago, and it was filled with writing. MY writing! From second grade, no less!
I have no idea how this one snippet from my writing past ended up where it did, buried under stacks of my husband’s books and papers, but I’m glad I found it. This year when I visit schools, I’ll not only get to share my current books, I’ll be able to show kids stories from when I was in school and just learning to write. I can’t wait!
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