across this powerful river

[asakiyume]

I've started volunteering--just a little bit--helping high school kids with essay writing, both at my town's high school and in a troubled school district nearby. The kids at my local high school are relatively privileged (but still so various--one told me about moving from Maine, another about his Soundcloud page, another about being the child of Indian immigrants), the other are in a program for kids struggling to graduate for one reason or another.

That second bunch of kids--I love them so much already. They've picked some excellent research topics. One wanted to write about how miscarriages affect fathers (his girlfriend had a miscarriage). Another wanted to write about school lunches. Another, with Tourettes, wanted to write about Tourettes. Another wanted to write about the effect of cellphones and other electronics on kids in elementary school.

I want these kids to have the same chances that the kids at my local school have. They have so much good stuff to share with the world.

Here's the mighty Connecticut River. Just across it, over there, is where those kids go to school. See the water spurting and pluming through the dam? The city generates electricity from that.



Here are geese in the shoals.



And here's the view further down the river--well, two weekends ago. Most leaves have fallen now.

>

Here is graffiti under a bridge that crosses the river. Do you see the "RIP" on a piece of wood in the foreground? The dates were 1993 to 2016. My younger daughter's age.



Wake up, this graffito tells us. Are you sufficiently awake?

Comments

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you are working with those kids!


The light in those photos is simply magical.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad too! (Now, if we can just have it be that they're glad as well, everything'll be perfect.)

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Maybe they will come to enjoy it. If they've been ambivalent about school, it takes time to win their trust. (I taught high school, I remember that!)

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

Your students sound like a lively bunch, with a strong sense of the personal usefulness of learning.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

They're a great bunch--they impress me in every way.

[heliopausa.livejournal.com]

Sufficiently awake? Probably not. :(

Thank you for the views of the river, and for the cheerful news of your two groups of students.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome!

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

You are a super good person for volunteering as you do!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Nah; I'm (a) super lucky (because I have a situation in which I'm able to do this, at least for now) and (b) hoping to make up for a long stretch when I was childrearing and did... not much.

All that notwithstanding, I hope that it helps at least a little!

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This is such a wonderful post from a wonderful lady. :)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Not wonderful. The longer I live, the more I realize how little I've done for anyone... just trying to change that.

[massagechine.livejournal.com]

This is so great!

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed!

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I thank you for doing what you do. :)

and the R.I.P :(

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to make up for a lifetime of doing not-much (plus, I really, really enjoy it. I spend my working days alone)

Yeah... I'm guessing a victim of the heroin epidemic here, but can't be sure.

[yamamanama.livejournal.com]

I love the colors. Have you ever seen the graffiti wall near Central in Cambridge?

Someone shot a crow and we're taking care of it. I'll keep you updated.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I haven't--next time I'm in Cambridge I'll have to look.

That's terrible! People can be so awful. I'll come read what you've written.

[mnfaure.livejournal.com]

I was listening to this and it reminded me of this post and your school kiddos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wjYSjSHjoU

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful ♥

I actually was asking the kids what they listen to and what they like. I have a whole list of things to check out now ;-)

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing this moment. Thank you for the important work that you do and the magic you spread.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I think the magic is like the stones; we carry it around and leave it in places for others to find. I feel like I receive so much magic from others. I think we're trading magics. I'm holding magic you shared with me in my mind right now.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing, and thank you for helping others.

That does look like a might river indeed. I love the golden colours in the leaves.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

It's a big one, though small on a map. If you're ever in these parts, maybe we can rent a canoe and go out on it. I was really glad to explore its shores with wakanomori.