The next generation

No, I'm not here to talk about Star Trek. That's my roommate's job. How did a pre-med biology major Trekky and an artistic English secondary ed major end up as roommates? Opposites attract, I suppose, though she's argued that point on at least one occasion.

Anyways, that's all a moot point. The point is that I am an English secondary ed major and not something else, even if that something else might be a full-time author. I've had people ask me why I don't want to be an artist, why I don't want to be a full-time writer, why I don't update my blog more regularly--in short, a whole bunch of questions that really all have the same answer at the base of it: Other things are more worthy of my time. Now that doesn't mean that, objectively, those things are less worthy of anyone's time. Just mine . . . and, well, maybe that of a few others. But there is a reason I'm studying to be an English teacher and not investing my time in other things. Some of my experiences over the last few weeks have only solidified that goal in my mind.

Over the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit a few junior and senior high schools in the Grove City area. Once, I attended a school's open house for a book signing. Another time, I came as a guest speaker to talk to the students about my writing experiences from fifth grade until now. I got to talk about my love for writing, my inspiration, and my journey from writing short stories and newspaper articles to self-publishing my second novel. It was a good opportunity both to reflect on my own growth as a writer and to inspire future writers. I may never be a prize-winning author, but perhaps one of those eighth graders will be. And maybe they'll inspire the young writers after them, and those after them. Don't we all start that way in our respective interests and pursuits? Yes, someone has to pave the way, but the rest of us are commissioned with the task of carrying on the legacy. It's like that game I used to play in school, Whisper Down the Lane or Telephone. A lot of people view teachers as one person on the end of the line communicating her knowledge to the student on the other end, but in another way the teacher is merely the line connecting the two. The connection can be a good or bad one, but all I can do at the end of the day is transfer what I've learned from others--and, yes, sometimes from my own limited experience--to the next generation. It's both an elating and a humbling prospect.

Looking into the eyes of a student and seeing them looking back at you as a published author carries with it a weird sensation. There's something magical in those two words, like when Hagrid shows up at Harry's door and tells him he's a wizard. One minute you're a still student yourself, a normal human being. The next, you've become an elevated wordsmith of the highest degree and grade school students gaze upon you with awe and wonder, Could the same ever be possible for me?

In response, it isn't enough to smile patronizingly and say, "Yes, of course! You can do anything!" and go on my merry way. In the first place, that isn't realistic. In the second place, don't we have enough of those people standing around? Don't we have enough superstars and celebrities telling our kids that they can achieve greatness? Isn't it another thing entirely to put away the superhero cape for a day--or a lifetime--and teach kids how to be great at who they already are? That's what teachers do. They put the cape back in the phone booth until the next person is ready to take it up.

If I never become a famous author or even a well-recognized teacher, I won't be the worse for it. Neither will I feel slighted if none of my students ever becomes a teacher or published author. All that I am here to do is pass on the passion I've been given and the solace that the written word has been in my most dire need. Writing is not something that I do. It is something that keeps me doing.