Lessons from Home: Quarantine Edition In the spring, our lives shut down. We did not leave the house for much—not church, work, school. No family visits north. Only trips to Texarkana were for doctor visits. All activities were suspended. No more cheer, dance, t-ball. No birthday parties. No get-togethers with friends. No play dates for … Continue reading Day 304 of 366
Author: Taylon Steele
A 30-something ‘yes girl’ learning how to say no.
Day 161 of 366
LISTEN and SILENT are spelled with the same letters. Every teacher knows that. Why? Because nearly every one of us has had (or at least seen) a poster with those words hanging on a classroom wall. It’s a powerful statement. And that’s where I’ve been lately. Silent, so I could listen. I’ve watched friends and … Continue reading Day 161 of 366
Day 134 of 366
I glanced up from washing my hands. Paused. Blinked.Looked again.Looked closer.Blinked again.And there it was. A closer look revealed not just one, but several. Some I probably couldn't see, because the bathroom lighting is so poor. My heart sank, my confidence deflated as I physically felt my youth fade away. So much new growth. Yet … Continue reading Day 134 of 366
Day 128 of 366
This week has been so long. I think I've cried more this week than I have the last seven weeks combined. Tears of joy. Tears of laughter. Tears of sorrow. Tears of pain. I am grateful for my district. I am grateful for my principal and her thoughtfulness. I am grateful for my co-workers. I am … Continue reading Day 128 of 366
Day 127 of 366
Life with God is not immunity from difficulties but peace in difficulties. That was the text from Mr. Roy today. And man, did I need it. Peace is hard to come by, especially these days. I feel guilty for wanting peace and quiet when I'm trying to work, when I should be grateful to have … Continue reading Day 127 of 366
Day 105 of 366
“Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose instead of serving shame.” Every morning, Mr. Roy sends out encouraging texts. I got on the list, because my mom was sending me some, and finally told me to ask him to add me. I look forward to them every day. Sometimes they are … Continue reading Day 105 of 366
Day 98 of 366
It's been 30 days since I wrote with purpose. Every time I have sat down to write, the words just don't flow with ease the way they used to. My last post was about working on the "shoulda/coulda/woulda" game, and surprisingly, even in a global pandemic, I have done extremely well with that. My therapist … Continue reading Day 98 of 366
Day 97 of 366
Been awake since 9am Sunday. It’s midnight Monday night. Lots of mom guilt.Lots of teacher guilt.Lots of guilt. Lots of anxiety.Lots of unknowns.Lots of going and going and going. Because if I stop, then what? I function better in high stress situations. I move into survival mode. There’s no time to let anxiety and fear … Continue reading Day 97 of 366
Day 84 of 366
A glimpse into Steele Academy...day 8 of quarantine. I forgot what day it was. But I know it’s Spring Break, and the kids FINALLY decided they wanted to play with toys instead of school first thing this morning. So that’s what they did. For 20 mins. Then, they climbed in my bed and wanted to … Continue reading Day 84 of 366
Day 68 of 366
It’s Daylight Savings, and the clock is about to roll forward an hour. So technically, it’s 2:47am. And I’m wide awake. Sometimes, the hardest thing to say “no” to is my brain. It just won’t shut off. And tonight is one of those nights. Which means tomorrow (today) is going to be one of those … Continue reading Day 68 of 366
Diary of a Girl from Nowhere 