Set Out With Lime Disease Yesterday...That Is, To Distribute Limes To Colleagues

Because Tuesday nights go so late, I never fall asleep until midnight, resulting in grogginess on Wednesday mornings. I get up, drink coffee, work through email, then realize I stupidly bought a lifetime supply of limes for last weekend knowing that, because the twins were here, a large number of people might stop by and expect drinks. They did, but there were a lot of limes.

Thinking about Writing in the Limelight and the work we do each spring, I decided that rather than let limes rot in my refrigerator, I would walk around and distribute lines with a note saying, "Be sure to make yourself a drink when you get home today." Some of my colleagues asked, "Can I make guac with it?" Of course they could, and they did. I caught one making lime water in the afternoon. That works, too.

When life gives you limes, you need to make lime-aid.

I feel like I'm in a constant habit of trying to make each and every day a positive experience and I aim to go outside of the box to do something good for every tragic, horrific, awful, and ridiculous thing that happens (I learned as a student, a teacher, and a human being that the only thing I can ever truly control is my attitude. Why not be kind, loving, and witty? It's Life Is Beautiful vs. Schindler's List. If the darkness is real, how can any of us still find light (limelight) with the insanity of it all. Besides, it makes me feel good not to waste such delicious citrus.

Yes, many of us in the National Writing Project network need to sit back and rethink the work we do to support K-16 youth and educators. I've said for years that the work is a religion, and I truly have nothing but faith in my colleagues who have dedicated their lives to providing effective instruction to the young people they teach. Support for our work may not be in the radar of those with the power, but anyone who has experienced the NWP teacher institute knows it is the best professional development our nation has. The nation, however, is heading in a different direction and that is the way democracy works.

Disappointed, frustrated, upset, and sad, I simply need to focus on what comes next. First and foremost, optimism and hope must remain central.

The limes were distributed. Time to take one day at a time and heed to the saying, "If you don't like something, do something to change it."

It's time to visit a dry-erase board and start strategizing. The work we do is simply too important.