“Sometimes fumbling is better than silence”
~ Irene Latham ~

Recently, I finally had a chance to read Kelly Barnhill’s Newbery Award winning novel, The Girl Who Drank the Moon. This gorgeously written ode to storytelling is layered and full of wisdom.

I was particularly struck by these lines:

“Every day the world shuffles and bends. Every day I find something shiny in the rubble.”

“She drew both mindlessly and mindfully.”

For me, these lines capture the essence of writing. Sometimes those shiny somethings reveal themselves only during the mindless writing, but they’re there. Keeping our eyes and minds open for them is the tricky part.

This is my fifth year participating in the March Slice of Life Challenge, and it has always been a rewarding experience. It’s also a stressful commitment. But it’s a commitment I’m willing to make. I’m looking forward to this month of writing with all of you. I’m looking forward to discovering the shiny things hiding in the rubble.

Thank you to Stacey, Betsy, Beth, Kathleen, Deb, Melanie, Lisa and Lanny for creating this community and providing this space for teachers and others to share their stories every day in March and on Tuesdays throughout the year. Be sure to visit Two Writing Teachers to read more Slice of Life posts.