II
The poem

Growing together
As years slip by,
Sharing the earth
Our roots entwined.
Steadfast we stand
Sunshine and rain,
Faithful and true
My Love and I.

Writing about my writing
The afternoon is perfect for a garden wedding. The guests haven’t yet arrived. My husband is busy with last minute preparations; he will be performing the ceremony. I wander to the edge of the garden, under the trees, enjoying the few beautiful moments of solitude. I’m intoxicated by the joy and love that has infused the air. I’m thinking about the beauty of life, about love, about our wedding. About our children’s weddings. About how wonderful life really is.

It is then that I notice the tree, the one giving me shade. It isn’t one; it’s two. Two trees, growing together–separate trunks, but branches entwined. I wonder about the roots. Are they as entwined as the branches?

In my classroom
Each student selects a piece he/she wrote earlier in the year or in a previous year and writes about the writing of the piece. Where was he/she? What was the inspiration? Thoughts. Wonderings. Feelings. Writing depends on reflection–thinking about, casting back, pondering, musing.

Cultivate the habit of reflection!