Full Circle - In Memory of My Dad

Last month, my father came to see me in Providence and we spent a long weekend together. We traveled to Plymouth to see the landing point of the pilgrims, and while we were there, he told me that he felt he had come full circle. When I was small and we still lived in England, we visited the launching point so he had visited both sides of the pilgrims journey. Something about the comment struck me, and after he left, I cried for an hour because I had a feeling that I would never see him again. I managed to convince myself that I was just being morbid, overly sentimental, but on Friday night, when I received the phone call from my mom, I knew what she was going to tell me before she could say the words.

My father died on Friday from a massive heart attack, and while I am still reeling from the shock of it, I wanted to share the poem that I wrote to read at his funeral this morning. My voice shook, but I managed to read the poem without crying. I know he would be proud. I wrote this poem to honor my father: poet, artist, writer, carpenter, coin collector, and so much more. I will miss him forever.

I am the twinkle in your eyes,
Eternal laughter sparkling,
Strong and silent,
My father.

I will think of you,
in backyard apple blossoms
and falling leaves.
With the scent of fresh cut wood,
And of cigarettes, like the ones you never quit smoking,
even though we all knew that you should.

I will remember you,
Standing beside the ocean;
This enigma,
This mystery,
My Dad.

We collected rocks and shells,
Our memories of the sea,
Silent. Together.

Quiet man, what did you see
In the swells of rising water,
In the waves that crashed on the sand?

The words left unsaid
will haunt me,
So much that none of us can know.
Familiar strangers,
Like two ships passing in a silent night,
but I know you were ready to go,
A journey come full circle.

You were a pilgrim,
An explorer of the unknown,
Traveled from Scotland to Plymouth,
Following a childhood dream
Of crossing the ocean
And beside you,
Your last glance at the sea,
I with you.

My New Passion: Jewelry Design for Kids

I haven't blogged about my latest job, mostly, I think, because I've been so busy doing it. I got hired at the end of September to teach jewelry design at a local middle school in Providence. I still can't believe that I am being paid to do something that I love so incredibly much. My company just posted a blog with some interviews with the kids I've been teaching, and I'm too excited about it not to share:

This class is the coolest class ever! I have twelve students, all girls between the ages of 10 and 13. We make jewelry, discuss why people wear jewelry, and are having a huge jewelry sale in December to sell the projects we've been working on. The first day of class was nerve racking, to say the least, since I had little to no experience with kids, none in the classroom, and no formal training as a jewelry designer. I have to say, though, that being in front of a classroom has come so naturally to me! I know the kids love me, and I absolutely love them. I'll be so bummed when the class is over, but I'm hoping to stay in contact with my students afterwards.

What I love is that I know that this class is having an impact on the lives of these girls. I send them home with beads as much as possible (the homework assignments mentioned on the VIPS page), and I try as much as possible to get them thinking about possibilities. My friend Kat is a nineteen-year-old jewelry designer who has been selling her own work since she was nine, so I had her come to class to talk about her experiences, and, I hope, to inspire my students to become mini-entrepreneurs.

The girls have blossomed in the last month. Some who started out really shy are talking more and seem much more confident in themselves. I do my best to make sure that I give every student personal attention, and I've had their names memorized since day one. I greet them by name every day, and if a student missed class, I tell her we missed her! I love remembering something they told me in a previous class and their delight when I ask them about it later. For instance, one of the girls told me she'd be missing class for her birthday, and when she came back, the first thing I asked her was "How was your birthday?"

Last week, we had a halloween bead party, since Halloween was one of our class days, and I brought in orange and black beads and candy to share. It is amazing when this rowdy bunch gets so absorbed in their projects that the room is silent, so sometimes I bring in a radio for music, which is their reward for listening and sitting still.

I love having an excuse to make and wear pretty jewelry, and I love it even more that the girls always ask about the jewelry I am wearing. We only have a month left, and I am going to be so bummed when this class is over!

On another note, I received a call last week from a woman who runs a similiar after-school program at a local high school, and I have an interview there tomorrow concerning that. How cool is that? They called me!

Providence is definitely where I am meant to be, and don't be suprised if I end up hanging around her for a while. My lease is up at the end of December, but the woman whose apartment I am subletting hasn't been heard from in months. If she hasn't contacted my roomie (who is AWESOME!) and I by Thanksgiving, we're going to be able to stay in the same place for another six months (maybe longer!). If she does come back, I'm already looking for apartments in the same neighborhood. Cross your fingers for me!

I'll write more about my classroom experiences soon, but for now, enjoy the kids' interviews posted on the VIPS (Volunteers In Providence Schools) website:

Ahh, look, my students!

Bling Bling

(Haha, Miss Moira! That's me!)