Trying to land the written plane

Written March 10, 2023

Day 17 of 40 in a 45-day period: I’ve been surprised at how much enjoyment has come from this writing challenge I gave myself. Some of the stories have been swirling in my head for years and others come to me while I walk in the morning or when I notice something or someone while running around.

The stories I’ve had in my head for so long have a plan for how they will take off and cruise into the middle. But when it comes to the landing, I’ve found myself stuck on multiple occasions. I either have so much more to say or nothing. Should I go back and shift this around? What am I trying to say here? Do I need to have something to say or can I just leave it? It’s as if the plane I’m piloting was told to keep circling and the passengers are getting unruly.

When I plan a lesson with teachers, the end is often the most challenging part. What do we want kids to take away and is the takeaway aligned with the lesson? Sometimes this is a quick fix and we adjust where we’re focusing and for how long.

There are other times I invite them to be open to the idea that maybe we don’t have to wrap it up with a bow, neat and tidy. What if we give kids the space and time to sit with an unfinished idea and see what they bring with them the next day? It’s an uncomfortable thought and not always successful. However when kids return with new ideas, often ones we didn’t consider ourselves, we’re reminded of the power of sitting in the messy middle.

When I find myself circling, I’ve started closing the computer and walking away, often with a trip outside. Sometimes I come back a few minutes later; other times it’s hours. Regardless, when I return I wrap it up within minutes. Stepping away and forgetting about the circling for a while reminds me to get out of my head. I welcome the distraction of far more important things like whose turn it was to push the elevator button or how to decide on a snack when you wanted cheese crackers but there are no cheese crackers. These are life’s pressing problems that require immediate solutions.

Perhaps one day I’ll end the story without landing the plane or tying it up with a bow. Pilot licenses and ribbons have never been my thing anyway.