Risk the Inner Journey

“You are that which you are seeking.” – Saint Francis

We must look inward.  Self-reflection is the road to self-awareness.  

When we are lonely, serving another helps us connect.  In service, we are never alone.  

When we are confused, we can become quiet and listen to the “still, small voice” that brings clarity of purpose.  

When we want respect, we need only offer respect to all those we interact with on a daily basis.  

We must be the behavior we wish to see in others.  We do not need to be self-confident or assured we only need to practice.  We only need to risk the inner journey.

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Unity

"In one atom are found all the elements of the earth; in one motion of the mind are found all the motions of existence; in one drop of water are found all the secrets of the endless oceans; in one aspect of you are found all the aspects of life.” – Kahlil Gibran

Beautiful writing.  We are each in a single atom.  We are each part of the earth.  In my mind, I am giving birth and I am dying.  I am creating and growing and I am letting go and saying goodbye.  I am in you; you are in me.  Unity.

I open and close my heart and mind countless times a day. 

The ongoing dance of balance between ego and spirit.

Hero's Journey

Our life stories each carry truth and meaning.  The story may be something Joseph Campbell re-told from 4,000 years ago or our own story from childhood to adulthood.  The story gains meaning with each re-telling.  It becomes more accessible, more universal.  It is the emotion of the telling that brings meaning.  It is the telling of the story that brings healing.

We repeat stories because with each re-telling, the meaning grows.  We continue to express our heart and we grow in understanding.  

With each telling of our story, we are brought deeper into our connection with our spiritual family.  

With each telling of our story, we see our life and our world more clearly.  

With each telling of our story, we are healed at a deeper level.

Our story is our truth.  Our story is our life and, like our breath, it gives life.  

It is life.

photo credit: blogs.nature.com

As Each Year Unfolds

The longer I am alive, the more vulnerable I become.  

The more I experience, the more I live through, the more I risk, the more I become my authentic self.  

My truth is in the joy of our common ground and in the appreciation of our diversity. Age, pain, loss, and life soften me and deepen my joy.  My greatest lessons are silent, still, and often small.  As each year unfolds, it is easier to cry and easier to laugh - and the distance between the two gets smaller.

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity.  It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability and authenticity.”
- Dr. Brene Brown

You Are

"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
- Winnie the Pooh, created by A.A. Milne

picture credit E.H. Shepard

Holding On and Letting Go

If I hold on tightly to one thing, I cannot be open to anything else.
I must risk letting go to build something new or to touch someone I love.
I must let go of old hurts, for as long as I hold on to my history of pain, I cannot embrace the love that is in front of me.
I must open my heart to be filled with new love.

Courage of the heart brings peace of mind.

Empathy and Trust: The Standards For Which We Must Strive

We must see everyone in our schools as a human being.  Everyone!

This includes students (ALL students), teachers (regular education, special education, health and physical education), custodial staff, administrative assistants, food service workers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and especially parents.  We must remember that education is personal to every one of our students.  We are all human beings with fears and talents.

Empathy and trust must be the standards for which we strive.  Empathy is the essential connection we experience when we feel with someone.  It is the single greatest asset in education and in life; empathy brings a long-lasting feeling of all the good that exists and reassures human beings that they are not alone.

To earn trust, we must extend trust.  We must believe in the goodness of people and we need to treat them as if they are that goodness.  We must lead with our hearts as well as with our minds.

We must see test scores, academic standards, and budgets as subordinate to people and not the other way around.  In my experience, all three of these have, at different times, been seen as more important than the people in the organization.  If we're ever going to reach our goals for children and learning, human connection and empathy must be our highest priority.

The only way to advance education is for people to pull together as a community and focus on empathy, build trust, and respect everyone.

We need to rebuild schools that have, as their highest priority, the care of human beings.

A Creed

Be kind and gentle to yourself and the world is more peaceful.

Forgive yourself and others will feel your forgiveness.

Respect yourself and you will treat others with respect.

Look for the good in everyone.

Be grateful.  Just be grateful.

Trust.

Accept yourself.  Accept others.  We are all doing the best we have with what we know.

Optimism is a choice.  Let go of negativity.

Be willing.  "The willingness is all."

Say "Yes" to Life.  Embrace life.

Kindness Is Always Possible

"Be kind whenever possible.  It is always possible."
- Dalai Lama

I have the privilege to live with and be married to Sandra, my role model of kindness.  Her daily existence is bringing comfort and kindness to everyone with whom she comes into contact.  Her life is an example that kindness is always possible.

The Highest Standards

To commit our teaching as a loving service to our students transforms our work into a spiritual gift.  The definition of excellence in education becomes a commitment to the highest standards of human development.

Are we kind?  Are we respectful?  Are we responsible?  Have we been nice to everyone with whom we interact?

All of our actions become an opportunity to serve the greater good.  All our preparation, late nights, phone calls home, adapting lessons, and supporting the needs of the Whole Child become ingredients in contribution to world service.  Our smallest intervention serves the greater good, provides health and healing, and ennobles our profession.

Repeating Patterns

I continue to learn the humility of accepting my life and my imperfections.  I find myself repeating patterns of feeling sad because I did not speak my truth.  Repetition like a wave breaking regularly on the shoreline of my heart.  I seek to be kind, gentle, and considerate.  I am silent so I do not cause pain for others.  I feel the pain of my silence.

The sun repeats its blessed warmth and I continue to learn.  No matter how many times I need to learn this lesson, like the sun, it will repeat.  I accept my sadness as often as is needed until I learn how to break my old patterns and become whole.

Beautiful Reciprocity

What is spirituality?

I recently heard a story of someone asking a monk, “What is your life like as a monk?”

The monk replied, “We walk, we fall down, someone helps us up.  We walk some more, someone else falls down, we help him up.  That’s pretty much what we do.”

-       Ernest Kurtz & Katherine Ketcham

I love this simple, beautiful story.  This is my kind of spirituality.  I have fallen often in my life; someone or something has helped me back up.  In turn, I have lived my life helping others who have fallen.

Beautiful reciprocity.