I Wouldn’t Have Chosen It for Myself, But Blessings Come in Disguise
10 Mar 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: being a writer, job offer, Philadelphia, post-graduation, Teach for America, teaching
When I dream of Arielle, the woman that I aspire to be, I see her doing a lot of things. I see her writing, inspiring, filming, and provoking. I see her giving back to her community and mentoring many young women. I see her adopting daughters and bearing sons. I see her loving even when she thinks she is incapable and sharing her life with a partner who appreciates her. I’ve watched her accomplish incredible things in my dreams. And even though I know that the 20 yr old Arielle will get there, I don’t see a clear path from the present to the future.
When I surrender my prayers to God each night, I ask Him to pave that path. But truthfully the gate he has opened for the next phase of my journey wasn’t exactly what I would have chosen for myself. But blessings come in disguise.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
I’ve been offered a 2 year contract with Teach for America in Philadelphia. I’ll be a secondary (middle or high school) English teacher and responsible for shaping young, future revolutionary minds. I’ll be responsible for passing on knowledge, and hopefully reshaping the “burden” many young people classify as reading and writing. I’m excited, thankful, and nervous (probably not for the reason you would think) all in one anxious emotion, I’m trying to NOT understand and instead just trust. God and the universe know more than I do, so when they make decisions and certain opportunities align, I rarely question it. If it’s here, it’s a blessing, even if I am unable to see the results at the moment.
On an anecdotal note, I remember how powerful my English classes were to me in middle school and high school. I had some amazing teachers and some sucky ones, but the classes that I loved the most were the one’s that gave me the space for my personal creativity: to write and explore new topics- various forms of literature, music, poetry, and prose. I love my writing, I’ve loved it since I penned my first story at five with the patience of my grandmother typing on the computer as I told her each sentence of my imagination. And while pieces of me want to dedicate myself to writing full time and exploring my art and passion, the other piece of me calls me to serve and inspire other young people the same way that my English teachers inspired me. I am not nervous to teach, but I am concerned about the impact that teaching full time will have on my true passion and art.
The challenge will be this: creating the space to continue my writing and stimulate my mind. I move to Philly in June, so I’ll have about a month to transition from graduation/nostalgically leaving NYC to a new city that holds the next chapter in my life. On a basic level, I’m thankful for a good, post-college job (don’t sleep on teacher salaries with Teach for America, especially in the North, none of that 30 something k, entry level dollar nonsense). At the very least, I’ll have a steady income to support me while I improve my portfolio and writing technique. Who knows, I might even do a evening master’s program at UPenn. I’ve already started looking at programs, and at the very least, I’m intrigued. Regardless, adulthood and “real” career, here I come…but with one condition, my writing comes and stays with me at all costs. Passion in which ever way it manifests itself must always be your first priority. I choose to keep my #1
Ari
Pic Top: Mica Paris by Derrick Santini
