My Space

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I fell in love with writing as a small child–an only child who loved reading, writing, and retelling stories. My mother, aunts, and older cousins were often times my audience. I’d assemble them a few times a week to listen to my latest masterpiece — a word I had seen only once in my short lifetime in the form of written feedback from Mrs. LeBlanc, my third grade teacher. It was then that I learned to love feedback and applause.  Back then my space for writing these masterpieces was a small bedroom filled with books, an old rocking chair, a twin bed, a re-purposed refrigerator box turned toy chest, and walls draped with stuffed animals and my artwork. I drew inspiration from that small room — a box whose walls could only contain me and my ideas for a short while. They were destined to fly from my mind and wriggle through the small hole in my screen door to places I’d only seen on the globe in my room.

Today, my space is a little different. I have a device for every room — thanks to my husband who has an affinity for tech tools. I don’t have a dedicated space, but I often find myself sitting at the kitchen table (as I am now), nibbling on breakfast or a snack (as I am now), and sharing what comes naturally.  The lesson in all this is that your dreams are always with you — whether you’re in an ideal setting in the mountains or a modest shotgun house on West Jeff Davis in my hometown in Louisiana.

When I return to LA for Thanksgiving this year, I will visit my old neighborhood as I do every time I go home. I’ll probably take a stroll past the old house–my humble beginnings– a source of so much joy and love. It is my prayer that a little girl or boy who sleeps in that tiny bedroom will also create masterpieces that will one day sprout wings and fly as mine are doing today.

Published by Principle Michelle

Principle Michelle is a middle school leader, master teacher, and a Certified Parent Empowerment Coach. She currently resides in the Washington D.C. area where she serves kids and their parents who have entrusted her to help them navigate the middle years. Principle Michelle loves "the middle" -- it's the place where the rubber meets the road. Kids in middle school are at a pivotal stage in their lives, and they can go left or right. Because this is where God positioned her, she gets to direct and guide middle school students in the way that they should go. She also enjoys helping families build strong biblical foundations by offering them strategies, resources, and tools to help them to train up their kids and to build the life God intended.

17 Thoughts

  6. Great descriptive writing. I can see that room as if I were in it. I wonder if it helps that I had my repurposed refrigerator box… 🙂 I especially like your home page layout, the art work it beautiful and inspiring – day by day..

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  7. I am enjoying reading each day allowing me to know you more. Thanks for continuing to show your heart through your writing. I think it is so funny how our dreams as children often seemed so far away. As we look back as an adult how those dreams formed us to who we are and how God placed those dreams, some wilder than others, but used pieces of them all to grow us into His unique vessel to be used in ways we could of never dreamed.

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  8. And, you will pass on W. Jeff Davis many many times during that one visit. LOL! I, too, am enjoying your writings.

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  9. Reminds me of myself as a little girl, lost in my room and my books with my thoughts and stories that I didn’t start penning to paper until I was in high school and had one of the best writing teachers ever who obviously saw something in me that I never knew. I am thankful for Mrs. Mosco and all the others along the way, including you Michelle, who have pulled out and are pulling out of me what was hidden. May all of the little boys and girls around this entire world be fortunate enough to have someone pull their voice out of them whether through writing, storytelling, singing or other forms of creative expression.

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      1. Lol, right? Everyone ask me that. I’m not air force but my husband is former military. Anyway he was stationed in NC before we met and had always wanted land so we decided to return to the south and try our hand at the country life. He has family here so we chose this as our snuggle in spot.The Chi is cool but I’ve been there my whole life so its not that big of a deal to me.

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