Slice of Life Challenge: An Affinity for Writing

It’s Sunday – which for my blog means a photo only post. But, today is also March 1st and the beginning of the Slice of Life Challenge.  This is a blogging challenge hosted by TwoWritingTeachers.org which encourages participants to write each day for all thirty-one days of the month of March.

In thinking about what to write about today, I considered why I write at all.  Three years ago, I participated in my first Slice of Life Challenge. My blog was new, probably only a week old, and I was dipping my toes into uncharted waters. But, the experience was great, and I just continued to write – daily – for the last three years! Sometime this month, I’ll reach a milestone of 1,000 blog posts! As you can tell, I have an affinity for writing.

But, the longevity of my blog and commitment to it does not explain why I write. My reasons for writing have changed over the last three years. When I started The Apples in My Orchard, my aim was to write about the multiple facets of student-hood. As a mother of three boys, an invested school district volunteer, and group leader, and a non-traditional teacher (environmental education), I found I had a lot to say about our educational systems. But, I quickly found writing about the frustrations and even the joys my boys experienced as students, was fraught with difficulty. I was trying to be honest in an effort to encourage system improvements but more than not, I ended up insulting someone I did not want to.

Slowly, as I stayed away from those emotionally charged topics (rigor, talented and gifted education, honors classes, the role of school boards), my blog evolved. It stayed reflective but more neutral. I found an audience that enjoyed my observations of life, stories of my travels, some continued work with students, and two returning series. On Sundays, as mentioned, I usually only post photos that fit the theme of my choosing. I will still do this today for my regular readers but felt it did not fit a writing challenge. I have also posted a continuing series on Leadership and believe I have five posts on that topic. This week I launched a new series called What I Miss and posted on the music of Karen Carpenter. Writing allows me to share what I might not in the spoken word. It allows me to explore my feelings and share knowledge about certain topics. Writing has become an integral part of my daily life and being.

The great part of writing reflectively is that I can always find something to write about. In my mid-fifties, I’ve raised three boys with my husband, held multiple professional positions in two seemingly disparate fields, and have had the good fortune to travel. All this, I share with my readership, which continues to grow, thankfully.

As I complete this month of posts and pass the milestone of 1,000 posts, I will be reflecting more on my future of writing.  Together, we will see where it takes me!

Today is Day 1 (Year 3) of the Slice of Life Challenge. It is a daily writing challenge for reflective writers during the month of March each year, hosted by TwoWritingTeachers.org. I am thrilled to be part of such a supportive writing community!