Miss Green was my fifth grade teacher. Both her title, Miss, and her name, Green, should tell you that this was her first teaching experience. And fitting, because this was my first time in fifth grade (my only time :)). It was nice to begin together. In the grades before, all of my teachers were veterans. They seemed to have a leg up. But Miss Green was young and fresh and new and it felt like she was on this journey, not way ahead of us, but with us. Maybe it was her youth, or enthusiasm, that made us feel like anything was possible. When she hung the giant map on the wall, and told us that each week we would take a trip, a spelling trip, it really felt like we were packing our bags and taking flight! We closed our eyes and randomly pushed a pin into the map, and then had to research the destination and write a story about our imaginary travels.

I think this began my life-long adoration for travel. And what a gift that was. I had no money. No experience. No real reason to believe it would ever become a reality. But what she gave me, us, was hope, possibility. And I still carry it with me.

Today I sold a painting that will ship to Washington, DC. A part of my heart goes with it. From my hands, to the canvas, to the plane, to its new home. In this lockdown world, I am traveling. And it feels as magical as it did in fifth grade.

I do not live in the same country as Miss Green, (now Mrs. Vickerman), but today, we are both going on a journey together. Bon Voyage!