A grown-up returns to kindergarten in pursuit of learning and happiness
Reliving the Past to Release it
30Oct2008 Filed under: About the Project, Personal Development Author: Melia
I set out in the beginning of the project to sort through the stacks of keepsakes. I’ve tended to romanticize the past and get very attached to people and experiences, and I’ve kept almost every piece of memorabilia possible: movie tickets, school projects, and letters. They fill whole boxes and drawers. I’ve kept a journal on and off since I was about ten, so collectively they take up half a bookshelf.
I’ve finally decided that having hung on to everything has held me back from moving forward, and it’s time to let go of “the good old days.” I’ve been so busy gathering new experiences at school that I haven’t devoted time to processing the past, but I’m realizing how important and urgent this is. I keep meeting resistance from myself as I strive to move forward, and my instincts say that I’ll be able to bring fresh experiences into my life more easily once I clear out the old. Over the next few days, I’ll post snippets of writing, some old photos and other keepsakes, and reflections on what I’m remembering.
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- Tags: keepsakes, letting go, memory
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About Reschool Yourself
Reschool Yourself is a year-long exploration of how school shaped the person I became, and how I decide to educate myself from now on. This fall I'm returning to my old classrooms week by week, to understand how school influenced my identity and to regain the happiness and creativity of childhood. In the spring I'll pursue learning opportunities in the U.S. and abroad to become as autonomous as possible. I'll share my experiences of "reschooling" and personal development through this website and provide a forum for readers of all ages to exchange their own. This site is a place to tell our stories about education: our experiences past and present, and our vision for future generations.
— Melia Dicker
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Margaret
October 31st, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Wow- 3 posts, a letter in the mail, my requested book on the site… is it Christmas?? JK, of course I know Melia is just taking care of business. Doing well. Acting on lessons taken to heart. Letting go! You know, I actually stuck a Post-It note with that written on it in my address book over someone’s name, so that every time I opened it up to look up that address, I would be reminded, “Am I letting it go, like I decided I should?” Still in processus…
Great picture of the rearview mirror too- striking find.