Category: childhood

The Lottery of School Supplies

I’ve been feeling nostalgic lately, which is dangerous because nostalgia has a way of making absolutely ordinary things from childhood seem magical. Today I saw a kid who looked about seven or eight years old carrying a shiny new iPad, and it sent me straight back to elementary […]

The Hardest Part Is Leaving

What’s the hardest decision you’ve ever had to make? Why? I’ve learned something about myself over the years. For all my spontaneity, sass, and willingness to leap before looking, the hardest decisions I’ve ever made all come down to one thing: Leaving. Not staying.Not choosing.But leaving. Every major […]

Where Have All the Readers Gone?

What’s the trait you value most about yourself? I recently stumbled across some startling numbers. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), fewer than 10% of U.S. 13-year-olds read for pleasure “almost every day.” Let that sink in. Back in 2012, it was 27%. By 2020, […]