Our Keys

Looking at my keyboard today, I wondered if it’s battered surface could be used as a metaphor for my life.

The only key with more wear on it than the backspace key is the “T”.

Many of the keys shine from wear. I almost feel bad for the right-hand keys: they clearly aren’t shown as much love as the left. But that backspace key...life’s all about mistakes. We try, and (more than likely) fail the first time. We have to go back. Sometimes we only have to change a tiny thing. In other cases, we have to do a wholesale slash-and-burn and start back at square one.

I shift a lot.

That probably doesn’t surprise anyone who knows me. Shifting. We change thoughts. We pause. We consider. We have to shift. My husband argues that capitalization is meaningless and should be eliminated. He looks at it from a programmer’s perspective. I come at it from a philosopher’s or artist’s. Shifting is a beautiful thing. It opens us up for my next idea: space.

My right hand gives me a lot of space.

There is a clear circle demarcating where my right thumb rests lightly but continuously on the space bar. I never even realized I keep my left thumb high in the air until a few moments ago. Perhaps my left hand has made a special arrangement with the right one since those left keys get so much work. We do that: we make deals with ourselves and others. We all can’t do it all. Which leads to my last thought.

I need many keys.

There may be favorites but there are few, if any, unnecessary ones. Some keys have very specific and limited uses while others are being called upon repeatedly each and every day. I need them all. I want them all.

We all have a function while we’re here. We all can have a purpose. Maybe I will be the “~” of the world while someone else is the “T”. That’s OK. We each give the world something with our existence.

We all can play key roles somewhere. Where do you see yourself playing the most rewarding role?

Thank you for reading my blog! I am hard at work on a guided journal for diabetics as well as starting to dream of what a second year of Dear Teachers might look like. In addition, I have some ideas for speaking engagement scripts related to teacher support I’m fleshing out. If you’d like to discuss signed copies, bulk orders or speaking engagements please email me at dearteacher2017@gmail.com. I am grateful for your time!