Reflection: First Class

Yippie! Our first class!

I was really excited to jump into things since I enjoy keeping semi busy over my summer vacations, and I was getting a little antsy. To save money I decided to do a stay-cation in the KOA (and ITO) and learn some new writing techniques while I'm here. So here I am!

Today's course was quite full, and by the end of the day I was exhausted... which seems sad since all I did was sit all day. But it's true! I was emotionally exhausted. We did a lot of thinking, writing, editing, sharing and listening today. It was a lot of fun. I learned some new techniques of editing strategies, such as snap shots and thought shots to incorporate more visualization into your writing.

Here's a sample from the writing I did today:

"As the school year headed to a close, I began to gather my things for another career move, this time to Kona. I had gotten engaged and was going to begin my life with my fiancé on the Big Island. When I broke the news to my class that I wouldn’t be at the school next year and that I wasn’t going to be on the island any longer, it was a shock to them... especially Naighel. He slammed his head on his desk and began to cry. It was the first time I saw him upset and without his adoring smile. When I tried to talk to him he pushed me away with his strong arms and demanded to sit quietly for quite sometime. Finally Naighel spoke… actually he yelled, “You love him more than you love us? Don’t you?!” I never thought that I had made such an impact on someone before.

While I may not have impacted Naighel’s life in the traditional academic way as teachers are expected, I impacted his life emotionally. I never realized that I was that steady authority figure in his life. I was the one that comforted him everyday, the one that cared for him as a person. And now I was leaving him. I felt terrible. Naighel eventually forgave me for leaving, under one condition: that I promise to come back and visit, and to make sure that I will be there when he graduates from high school. I made that promise, and I intend to keep it.

During my last weekend on Lana’i I was invited to a graduation party in the heart of the city. Of course, Naighel shows up without slippers, without parents, just as he always does. He busted out his dance moved on the dance floor and made me get up and dance with him. Naighel danced to his own music of life and let me dance with him. As I look back now, I realize that I should have been the one to be hugging him and thanking him everyday for teaching me everything that I learned that year."