Friday, September 12, 2008

Blurred Vision

Last night Precious Youngest walked down the stairs and into the room where I was recounting my long, laborious day to the Saint. She handed me two sheets of paper, a red pen, my reading glasses, and went back upstairs. (I've been proof reading papers for the Precious Daughters for a long time, by senior year they take editing suggestions without question.)

The essay was for her AP Literary Analysis course. The assignment was to write a personal essay about a remembered event. I started reading and two sentences into the paper I knew which “event” she was writing about. An incident that altered her high school experience in incalculable ways, not necessarily for the better.

I read the essay three times. Her writing was succinct, powerful, emotionally raw, and fearless. Fiercly blinking to keep the threatening tears at bay, I gave her back those two pages. With an unused red pen.

6 comments:

Swirl Girl said...

let us read the essay, if she wants us to that is.

I loved the 'unused red pen'.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Any chance she wants to share?

Anonymous said...

High school is a rough time. Hug her for all of us -

I also loved the unused red pen.

Anonymous said...

Good for her! I would love to have the chance to read it!

Leanne said...

Wow. That is the most powerful post.

I too use the red pen of retribution here. I'm waiting now for a day like this with my kids.

Good for your daughter for finding her voice in such a healthy and marvelous way. Long live the writers.

Holly (me.) said...

I'm joining those hoping to read Precious Youngest's essay.