I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed--and gazed--but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. -- William Wordsworth
What follows is the original essay I submitted 2-5-17 to the producers of LTYM-Raleigh/Durham. It was much longer than they could allow in the show and had too many similarities to another candidate's piece, so they asked me to condense and modify it a bit. I did so without hesitation to be part of their amazing program. I'll share the more polished version I read that night, but I wanted to share this one first as I think it offers (what I hope are) teaching moments that are particularly relevant right now. ------------ Nine years ago on a rainy Friday afternoon in early March, I was at work training my replacement in an RTP office when I received a long-awaited surprise—a call from Wake County Human Services containing a life-altering question, which was in essence, “Are you ready for motherhood?” A quick answer was required, so as soon as I hung up, I managed with jittery fingers to dial my husband at work. He’d already been contacted, and we were equally stunn...