The Day Before Yesterday
The day before yesterday was your last day of school with students.
There were tears.
There were smiles.
You are swamped with essays to grade for the final exam, and you have to get grades in, and you have to wrap the whole year up. But you savor it.
These are your last days as a teacher.
Today
Today is the very last day employed at a school.
The students are gone. Soon you will be, too.
You took pictures of your classroom before you ripped the posters off the wall and emptied the room of your presence.
You turned in the computer that was supposed to be used for school work, but on which you wrote both of your last novels on and did all your edits on.
You turn in your keys.
This is it.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow, you’re a writer. Just a writer.
This totally tickled my soul. I'm so happy for you! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteWoah. I didn't see that coming.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you made the right decision, and I'm even more sure you'll have fun writing full time. Best of luck.
Congratulations and good luck.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were only a writer, that you had quit your day job to pursue this. You're so brave.
ReplyDeleteSo bittersweet!
ReplyDeleteBeth Revis: Giving writer's hope since. . . .
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Beth!
I can't tell you how much these posts touched me. Thank you so much for writing them. I'm so happy for you! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteWow. It's so momentous and so exciting. You've done a great job of capturing this.
ReplyDeleteBah, I was supposed to be writing my marketing plan, but instead I spent the time reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! It's a sad story with a happy ending. I can't wait to see what comes out of it.
Well done.
ReplyDeleteHere's to being a writer. Just a writer! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteLove this Beth. Congrats! =)
ReplyDeleteI just finished your entire series, Beth and I'm so proud to "know" you. What a journey and what a gift you have to be able to write about it so beautifully. I for one, can't wait to see where this next phase in your life takes you. And you know I'll be first in line for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE when it hits shelves. XOXO
ReplyDeleteI have tears in my eyes.
ReplyDeleteI'm a teacher...and a writer. I feel like you crawled into my head and took notes. These posts are so beautifully written.
Congrats, Beth. I can't wait to see your book on the shelves.
i totally teared up - its been so fun over the last year or so traveling this journey with you.
ReplyDeletewow - you are a writer!
Oh Beth, I am reading and crying. So proud of you and all that you have accomplished. So so proud to know you and to be able to read your story.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the best of luck! From the bottom of my heart.
xoxo
Congrats! As a high school English teacher whose YA novel is now on submission, I must say how jealous and excited I am for you! :)
ReplyDeleteHooray!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!!!
ReplyDeleteI just read your whole series. Thanks. I needed this.
ReplyDeleteAnd an awesome writer you are. Congratulations on taking this brave step. :)
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say that I've thoroughly enjoyed this series. You ARE a writer!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Beth. I know it'll work out great for you.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so excited to read your series. :o)
ReplyDeleteOh, man. Wonderful, exciting and sad. Congrats on being a full-time writer!
ReplyDeleteI was a little sad at the thought of you stripping the classroom, but now you're a Writer (yes, it needs to be capitalized! It needs to be shouted! You are a WRITER!!!)
ReplyDeleteThat's beyond great. Congratulations!
I so loved these posts! Tomorrow you may be leaving something behind, but you've been a writer for some time now.
ReplyDeleteGo, you!
The series is powerful; thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBeth,
ReplyDeleteThis was a fabulous series. I loved every word of it!
You obviously are a writer.
ReplyDeleteBeing a "teacher" and a "writer", this post hit home. I can't imagine the day when I could actually call myself just a "writer". It's truly momentous. What a great step to take.
ReplyDeleteI'm teary.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get to keep up all week (I'm another... oops, a teacher here & it's totally crazy season here as you know - I still have 2 weeks to go) so I just went back and read the posts together. Such an emotional journey.
I wish you all the best in this next step. You've touched many lives already - may you touch many more through your stories.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Wow. It must've been bittersweet because it sounds like you were a very good teacher. But a writer... I'm in awe. How wonderful you made it happen.
ReplyDeleteWow, congratulations! I wish you all the best success as you go from teaching to writing full time.
ReplyDeleteYour post here totally captured all the bittersweet and wonderful mixed emotions of that moment of transition and saying goodbye to your former career. And it captured my imagination, thinking toward the dream of having such a moment in the future.
This, good lady, was an awesome series. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on both parts of your new life. :)
Beth, as a teacher and a writer, I often feel like I'm being pulled in different directions. So far, I've managed to balance it, but if I ever had to decide, it would be incredibly difficult. Great post! [I'd probably choose writing too.]
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing them. I'm so happy for you! Congrats!
ReplyDeleteBanner Advertising Network India
What a brave and beautiful series of posts, Beth. I was so touched by them and am so glad to know you. I felt like you lifted the veil so we could see how you became the writer that you are today.
ReplyDelete-sheela
Beth,
ReplyDeleteI just read through this whole series of posts. In many ways, they broke my heart. I have been that new teacher with kids fighting in my classroom, parents yelling in my face, and co-workers jargoning for position. I've also been that person who dreamed of writing. Who dreamed of going back to grad school. Who dreamed of more. I ran from the 65 year retirement. It wasn't for me. I loved my kids. I loved English. But I wanted more.
Congrats to you for pushing for more, and even though it was hard, knowing when to listen to yourself.
Mrs. Graham (Revis), I just read this, and I cried. I thought of yearbook. And symbolism. And the Pillow Book and Chretien de Troyes. And I remembered everything I learned from you because you really were a great teacher. I remembered how proud I was when my (misspelled) poster ended up on your wall. Then I realized, and appreciated, what it was all like for you. I am so happy that I was privileged enough to be taught by you, a true teacher-writer, but I am even happier that now you are what you've always wanted to be: a writer. For what very little it is worth, I am so proud of you and tremendously thrilled to see your successes as you enter this new and exciting part of your life. When I buy my copy of Across the Universe, I will finally discover Beth Revis, writer, but I will never forget Mrs. Graham, a great teacher. Congratulations, Mrs. Graham.
ReplyDelete*chokes on his own embarrassing display of sentimentality*