It's always interesting to meet someone--especially a child--from the past, and to read about their dreams and plans for life. That happened to me yesterday when I came across old school papers of mine from 53 years ago, and later. I got these papers when I helped my siblings move my parents to a different state. Each of us five kids got a pile of old school items. But I hadn't really looked carefully at mine in the three years since receiving them. because life.
But since it's my birthday, I decided to do ME things, starting with meeting my 8-year-old self from 50 years ago.
The first paper I saw was an assignment to write, in cursive, what I wanted to be when I grow up.
In the upper left corner, my name is printed "Kathy Griffin," then it begins "I would like to be a teacher and be someone plain."
What does someone plain mean? Well, I think I was saying that I didn't want to stand out, I didn't want to get attention.
Wait--how can a teacher do her job without demanding attention?
But I get it. I get why young Kathy/Kat wrote it. At my home 50 years ago, if you got attention, it usually meant that you were in trouble, and that might earn you a spanking whether it was deserved or not. Yes I think I know that girl is telling us she didn't want negative attention. The way she promises, later in the assignment, to read to her students, to show them how to make art, and to think well of teachers, she is saying that children will benefit from her work. And she will give them positive attention, which all children deserve.
I'm glad she changed her mind about attention. I'm glad she got out and did things and lived her life. My life.
And became a teacher, too.
But since it's my birthday, I decided to do ME things, starting with meeting my 8-year-old self from 50 years ago.
The first paper I saw was an assignment to write, in cursive, what I wanted to be when I grow up.
What does someone plain mean? Well, I think I was saying that I didn't want to stand out, I didn't want to get attention.
Wait--how can a teacher do her job without demanding attention?
But I get it. I get why young Kathy/Kat wrote it. At my home 50 years ago, if you got attention, it usually meant that you were in trouble, and that might earn you a spanking whether it was deserved or not. Yes I think I know that girl is telling us she didn't want negative attention. The way she promises, later in the assignment, to read to her students, to show them how to make art, and to think well of teachers, she is saying that children will benefit from her work. And she will give them positive attention, which all children deserve.
I'm glad she changed her mind about attention. I'm glad she got out and did things and lived her life. My life.
And became a teacher, too.
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