Spring and Ideas: Birth and Creation




Well, Week 24.

I read this essay again this morning, with new eyes. Eyes after the Parkland shootings, which occurred 20 miles from where my sister and brother-in-law live. Where soccer teammates of my great-niece go to school.

I’m going to post the entire essay from Dear Teachers here today for everyone, because I think it fits today. Please share it if you wish! I wanted this piece to be a confession about, and reminder against, giving up. I look at the drive of students like Emma Gonzalez and David Hogg and am inspired. Reminded. Feeling validated in what I’ve been pushing hard the last 18 months: we’re stronger together. Being together helps keep those "half-shaped blobs" of solutions and change alive.

We each have circles of influence. Let’s use them. Let’s not slack off. I’m talking to teachers right now- preaching to the choir a bit. Perhaps, simply be less silent? Share your reality with some people (young and old) you normally wouldn’t. Not in negative ways. Just in honest ways. It can be daunting, but, we need it. You need it. Our youth need it. There are beautiful eggs out there that need warmth.

February- Week 24- Birth and Creation

Ideas hatch.

In spring, we have the best opportunity to remind ourselves of this fact. Life is being born everywhere we turn as nature joyfully celebrates the end of want and burgeoning abundance.

Being human, we have the luxury of not having to wait until spring to give birth to new and wonderful things. Look at all that our students have created and achieved since Day 1 and where we have come since our first day on the job. New ideas, hopes, dreams and aspirations can arise anywhere and at any time.

The downside is, we may very easily leave things in an incomplete stage. What’s the impetus for us to take those half-shaped blobs in our heads, hearts, workbenches or hard drives and turn them into something whole? There’s the real chance of it sliding to “It’ll never…”

Eggs need to be both laid and nested upon to hatch. We must remind ourselves to keep going after those first pieces come together.

Make a commitment. Write it down. Dream a dream and then figure out a way to make it happen. Day by day and bit by bit we can get places. If we share our ideas with people and open ourselves to honest review, we can get closer to the fulfillment of our ambitions. Our students will be inspired to follow our lead if they see us taking these more difficult steps.

Who knows what brilliance we might then hatch?

My ideas to hatch: ................................................................................

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