Today's writing prompt was "describe a time when you felt stranded, physically and/or emotionally." As I wrote alongside my students, I realized how many times I felt stranded, most of which were an outcome of an intentional choice I made. Travelling in a train from Zambia through Zimbabwe, I remember calming myself, "this is only one night of your life," as I attempted to sleep in my bunk, my face pressed up against a glaring overhead light that wouldn't turn off. A train worker knocked on my door, warning me not to answer if someone else knocks on my door. Warning me to tie the door handle to the bunk with my shoe laces in case anyone tries to break in. I felt stranded. I did not have a cell phone. No one back in the states had a concrete idea of where I was.
I also felt stranded when I got lost running the mountain roads of Vermont. I don't know how far I went but I knew that I had been gone for at least two hours. I had no idea where the next turn would take me. I had no water, no cell phone, no food. Sounds pretty dumb right? I waited until I saw a car that looked nice with a lady driver. She was a runner too. She drove me back to town.
I don't wish being stranded on any of my students, but I must admit, I have learned so much about my inner strength from these experiences.
No comments:
Post a Comment