Stargirl Stories

"She was something we were all afraid to be... ourselves."

Stargirl is perhaps one of the most beautiful, poetic, and inspiring YA Multi-Cultural Lit books I have ever read. I felt that way we I first met it in 2008, I felt the same way when we crossed pages again in 2011, and now in 2013 I feel the same if somehow more inspired by Jerry Spinelli's incredible novel. Every time I read trough it I learn something new, as if it changes and morphs to fit my needs.

My first read helped me to understand who I was and accept my identity as I muddled through those first few uneasy moments of college. The second allowed me to examine the environment of your typical highschool and to prepare myself for the struggle that I and my students will face. Finally this time Stargirl taught me to be patient, and to find joy in the little things life has to offer, like finding spare change or those rare moments in the day when everything is still. I am not professionally where I would like to be, I think any English teacher not in a school is unhappy, but that doesn't mean I need to despair.

The Google Talk myself, Doug, Jerrod, and Carissa, were involved in responding to the novel was perhaps the highlight of this semester. We laughed, enjoyed each others company, but most importantly has a completely unguided, unmoderated, but incredibly deep and fruitful conversation of the novel. I saw It in a light I hadn't seen before, and some else stared talking and it was made new yet again.

All in all an excellent week last week. Steady as she goes!

Life, Continuing

Life it seems has taken hold and will not let go. I shall spare you all the details of how oh so glamorous life and cut right to the chase. A simple demonstration will show however the ridiculous nature of my life at the moment, however; I finished Life, After during the middle of the first week we assigned it, and I am now getting around to digesting it.

It was a beautiful novel of hope and inspiration. Beyond the incredible connection I was able to create with it, I am a sucker for themes of young love and heart ache, I really found it resonating with me in a very deep and unexpected way. There was a line, perhaps one of the best closings to a book I have ever experienced, that made me sit back in my chair and really think.

"We all knew there was a Before, which we could never return to, and an After where we had to learn to find joy again."

While my life has had no personal cataclysmic events to speak of, thank goodness, I certainly have found myself stuck as of late, both professionally and personally. As I finished Life, After I sat back in my desk chair and realized, I have been keeping myself in between. My life before was full of joy and sadness. Rather then work through that sadness, I have held on and forbidden myself to move to the next stage, the After. I think it's time to do just that.