lightness and dark

A good friend e-mailed me today and attached a blog he regularly visits... in it the author talked about trying to find just the right word... a problem I run into. But what bounced to the top as I read, was she was writing this blog at 9:54 in the morning. And I thought, "that's it!" I need my mornings.

I haven't written anything in days, weeks, feels like months... and the things I write feel forced and awkward.... and suddenly I think it is all about mornings. I haven't had any in forever. But spring break is nearing. Three weeks away. And then I will have two entire weeks of 10 a.m.'s to enjoy. I could clap my hands a do a dance in anticipation... maybe this writer's block will finally end.

On a much more serious note, there is a boy in one of my classes I am very concerned about. I teach art, a class where those more special students can often shine... a class that welcomes different strokes. Usually, I can get everyone to join in, and the ones that don't fall more into the dead-weight category than anything else... but this week I have seen something different. A silent child. He seems frozen... almost like he is afraid to put a pencil on the paper and make a mark.
After school, I went and talked to a couple people, and suddenly my worry about him turned to fear. I sense that something is violently wrong in his life. I am going to move my concern forward as best I can with the public education system... but I'd like to ask you, if you are the praying kind, to hold this boy in your heart.

Thanks.