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Writing Workshop: Through New Eyes


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ThroughNewEyes

The Class’ Task

After our last class where we all wrote about ourselves, this time we brought out the Rory’s Story Cubes and I divided them among the kids. The task for the day was to write the adventures of Olexi from Another Galaxy, an alien kid who is coming to visit earth for the first time. They each got 9 cubes to roll: 3 with drawings of places, 3 of actions and 3 of a mix of things. The purpose was to get them started with visual aids to tell a story, and also have them order the cubes in a sequence to tell a story. It was pretty funny, as most of the stories were more or less nonsensical. Miss I agreed to let me use her writings for this blog, so here it is what she wrote:

Olexi’s Adventure to Earth, by I.K.

Olexi arrived on a rainy day. Many men were lifting bricks and paving them. Once they formed a tower, Olexi looked at a boy who was hitting this round thing with a stick. But then he pointed to Olexi and shouted: “Ah ha! An Alien!” And then a man with a super pretty thing on his head. But Olexi had to leave. “No! Wait! Alien!” She stopped and he gave her a broken egg and a bug. Then she left.

The Adult Workshop

For the Adult section of the workshop, I wanted to take this same idea of discovering things for the first time, so our theme was New Experiences. It was interesting to see where everyone went with that idea. The idea of new experiences for one of us was how long it had been since the last time she had a new experience. Another writer wrote an essay of how New Experiences reminded her of her mother trying to introduce her to new foods as a little kid, and how much she dreaded every meal. Here’s what I wrote.

For the First Time, by Erika Grediaga

I was 26 when I first visited my family in law in Upstate NY. I went there in the middle of winter, after visiting my sister for a few days in Montreal. I had never experienced snow like that in my life. In Montreal the weather was -35 degrees Fahrenheit and there were literally mounds of snow everywhere, covering it all. The cathedral looked like encased in crystal sugar, and it was so cold all my senses were numb. When I finally arrived at the train station in Rochester, the temperature differences made me even feel warm! That is, if you can be warm at -10 degrees. The fact is that there was snow everywhere, but it was so bitterly frigid and I was so unprepared, I really never had the chance to experience the snow at all.

As we were getting into the car – the next day, in the daylight – I suddenly turned and looked at my glove. There, at the fingertip, lay a perfectly formed and gorgeous snow crystal. All of a sudden, everything else stopped. I was stunned by the fact that I could watch with my bare eyes this delicate and beautiful snowflake. My now husband looked at me, mystified. I just looked back with an expression full of wonder and said, “You can actually SEE them!” At first he didn’t understand what I was talking about, until I held my finger up and showed him. He burst out laughing, tenderly, and then understood what a gigantic wonder this was for me. I bet it is the same feeling one gets when you discover the vastness and beauty of the ocean for the first time – on the tip of your finger.

Conclusions

 It was very interesting to see a similar theme tackled from two very different perspectives: from the eyes of children, and from the eyes of grownups. The beauty of looking at things through new eyes is the discovery of it. Children eagerly go and explore and get themselves in all different kinds of new situations. Us, as adults, usually tend to dread change and new experiences. I just wish I could hold on to that feeling and the freshness of discovering new things and experiences! How would you look at live through new eyes?

About Erika

Worked in film and TV for several years before having my two wonderful children. Now I try to bring that creative input into my home to raise my kids. Hope you enjoy following this journey!
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One Comment

  1. Pingback: Writing Workshop: To Be Free - Mami Tales

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