Then Fall, Mrs. Byers: Writing That “Single Moment”

teaching, writing 1 Minute

By Crystal Byers via Brevity.

It was a day like any other school day—me, teaching the next generation, returning their graded memoirs, explaining the meaning of …

Then Fall, Mrs. Byers: Writing That “Single Moment”

Published by Crystal Byers

When I was young, my dad would always say, "Crystal, you can choose your attitude." One day I chose to believe him.

Published

36 thoughts on “Then Fall, Mrs. Byers: Writing That “Single Moment””

  1. Such a captivating story. Although I am sorry that you feel, and I cringed along with you. It can be difficult to find a funny thing to say in those moments. I know it is for me. I never seem to have the right words when I am put on the spot. But you recovered well. And you are absolutely right, if we don’t laugh at ourselves, someone else will. This reminded me of a line in Pride and Prejudice. “For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?”

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  2. A good story. I’m sorry you fell, but you got a good story out of it and a renewed understanding that you can never take yourself too seriously. Most other people don’t, so why should you?!!

    Also, related, my senior high school English teacher staged herself falling off the stool she sat on when she taught. She did this to prove to us kids that even when something happens right in front of you, everyone who sees it happen will remember it differently. A powerful lesson I remember to this day.

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    1. Oh, well, fall schmall. It was the first time in twenty years, and now you’ve given me a great comeback (pretending I staged the scene) if it ever happens again. Have a wonderful day, Ally!

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  4. That was such a sweet and funny story all at the same time! I’m sorry you fell, but I’m glad you were ok. And yes, I agree that we have to laugh at ourselves from time to time. If not, imagine what bitter souls we’d be!

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  9. Wow, Crystal. You made me think and laugh at the same time! “Et too, backpack.”😃
    I like the thought you shared–not explicitly– I’m inferring here: we never ‘arrive’ as writers.” There will always be room for improvement (revisions), to a point. Something I blogged about a year ago doesn’t read quite the same way to me now; it’s probably the same for my audience. How do I get my point across powerfully to the greatest number of people? Answer: keep editing until you KNOW it’s the best writing you can do–for the moment. Blessings!

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    1. Thank you, David. I wrote this one in 2018 and did some more revising before submitting to Brevity. I still caught a punctuation error after publication. Oh well, best I could do for the moment.

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  10. Thank you for sharing a part of your world with your thoughts and words!!.. let your fingers do the walking and your heart do the talking…. you didn’t fall, you just changed the direction of the thought process of the students, “The teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind.” (Kahlil Gibran ) and you do it very well, both in the classroom and in your writings!!… 🙂

    Until we meet again..
    May love and laughter light your days,
    and warm your heart and home.
    May good and faithful friends be yours,
    wherever you may roam.
    May peace and plenty bless your world
    with joy that long endures.
    May all life’s passing seasons
    bring the best to you and yours!
    (Irish Saying)

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  11. Quite an energetic story, Crystal, aquiver with potential. They – the action and your reaction – waited to take many trajectories, yet your recovery directed them to a warm, smiling purpose.

    A valuable one, too, as it humanized you to the students, adding relatability to your example. This could’ve gone wrong in so many ways, yet you mixed up that lemonade right-quick, didn’t you?

    It ended up being a great way as well to illustrate your lesson about revision. As though ripped from headlines. Or from lesson plans, at least. In writing, as in life in general, no effort is final, it’s just the latest of many improvements. We are an aspirational species, after all. That’s us, always striving.

    Compliments, too, to the backpack, for playing its part to perfection.

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  12. Crystal, your story takes me back to my time in the classroom. I helped high school students publish a newspaper, and writing with action verbs were always a point of emphasis. They also learned that the use of “get” wasn’t in Mr. Peterson’s vocabulary. At the moment, I seem to be stuck without an exit strategy. Hmm, there is always the story of the flying trash can.

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