It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.
—Bernard Williams
Embrace the Sunset
As I write this, I am imagining you next to me in a rocking chair on my back deck. The Midwest sky is big, dotted with an old red barn and a hardwood tree line on the horizon. It is twilight and the sunset is bold—dark purples, flaming oranges, blushing pinks mixed with delicate blues. We might try to name the color of the sky.
I’ve spent my life being awestruck by the setting sun. It’s a rhythm of closing the day, pausing to notice the show the sky offers, naming blessings, and dreaming a little.
I’ve had a season of shifting dreams. Next school year I will be a sixth-grade science teacher. I’m not leaving literacy, I’m simply teaching readers and writers about science. It’s a big shift, and one I’m ridiculously excited to accept. I am at peace about the change.
When I shared this with my friend Laurel, she told me about the Quaker tradition of learning to lay things down. Often when a project is finished or no longer serving its purpose, it’s time to lay it down. Laying something down signifies an intentional, peaceful end rather than a failure.
As a recovering perfectionist, I’m well acquainted with feeling like a failure when something comes to an end. Laurel helped me shift my mindset. Lately, as I’ve watched the sunsets, I’ve been trying to embrace the beauty of endings and to accept an intentional and peaceful closing.
This August, Choice Literacy will celebrate 20 years of uplifting students’ choice and voice in literacy. It’s a beautiful community of educators who protect and value following students’ interests and teaching to each individual point of need. We will celebrate the authentic and pure teaching practices that build strong readers and writers.
And then, we will lay down Choice Literacy. Brenda Power, the founder of Choice Literacy, reminded me that she never intended for Choice Literacy to last forever. It has brought so much goodness and joy to educators around the globe, and Brenda wholeheartedly agreed that it is time to lay down Choice Literacy with intention and peace.
In my mind, dear reader, we gently rock in our chairs on my back deck and admire the sunset. We see the beauty in the ending—plus more, as always.
With much love,
Ruth
PS: Here are some of the closure details.
- We will take our traditional publishing break in the month of July. Use this time to begin downloading your favorite articles if you wish to keep them.
- In August, we will continue our weekly publishing schedule with highlights and celebrations from Choice Literacy.
- In September, the site will be open for you to download your favorites.
- On October 2, 2026, Choice Literacy will close.
Ruth Ayres
Editor in Chief
