So, yesterday, a beautiful day indeed, found me walking a trail I had never seen before with my dogs. I take them to the same spot in the woods all the time, so this seemed weird to me.
Why had I never seen this before? Because I tend to be cautious in all other areas of my life, when it comes to exploration and traveling "new roads" I am fearless. So, the mysterious trail beckoned to me, and I decided to explore. My dogs, always happy to accompany me no matter the direction, followed.
And...nothing happened.
It was just a trail that led deeper into the woods an to another trail. After about 15 minutes of exploring, I was back on the original path.
Which started me thinking in a metaphorical way.
For instance, the same thing happens when I open a notebook to a blank piece of paper--I immediately want to fill it with words, ideas, thoughts (some half-baked, some not) etc.
Or when I stare out into the ocean and immediately feel the urge to sail to the ends of it to see where it stops.
I am fascinated by the unknown and it is because of that fascination I became a teacher in the first place. Why? Because the unknown triggers a desire in me to KNOW, to learn. And I am so thankful for that because without it, I wouldn't be here, in room 204, typing out this blog.
And that, my pumpkin-sunshines, is what I want to focus on this week, especially in the spirit of my favorite holiday--Thanksgiving.
What are you thankful for?
Now, please don't limit yourselves to the trite old cliches like "I'm thankful for my family" blah blah blah...Not that it isn't good to be thankful for your fam--of course it is.
But what I want you to do here is go a little deeper.
I am thankful for my desire to KNOW-for wanting to explore unknown trails, to add to the store of things I learn on a day-to-day basis.
I explained why already--and I want you to do the same. It won't be enough to tell us what you are thankful for--you also need to include the WHY. Try to consider yourself--who you are, what you value and where you imagine yourself to be in the future.
Use the force.
Monday, November 12, 2018
Saturday, November 3, 2018
Identity Crisis
We've been together for...what? Approximately 9 weeks or so, right? So, I think we have reached that point where we can really start to do some introspective reflection. (I'm being facetious here, intentionally. I really do know all your blogs require introspection, and that you have willingly (I hope) given yourselves over to that.)
So, although I cannot make you do this, I would like you to minimize all distractions while you think about this blog. Exercise your right to have "You" time; put away your phones or tv remotes and for the sake of all that's holy--stop playing Fortnite or whatever time suck application/site you have open. I know those things are necessary to, in some cases, restore sanity, unwind or engage in healthy social discourse--but for now, maximize the "quiet." And really think about this question.
Every day, you wake up, go through your morning rituals, come to school, do your thing(s), go home, go through your evening rituals and then go to bed.
There are obviously some variations to this routine from time to time, and I am not trying to downplay your life in any way by making it sound mundane; that is not the idea here.
What I am saying is, that through all of this, these daily activities, rituals and routines people interact with you.
They talk to you, refer to you, question you, yell at you, soothe you, talk about you, defer to you or, in some cases, though hopefully not many, ignore you completely. The point is, they KNOW who you are, at least enough to do one or more of the previous things.
But, when you stop to think about it, do they really know? And, more importantly, do YOU?
Beyond names, job titles or academic or athletic accomplishments, beyond labels given by yourself or by others, who are you?
Who are you inside?
If you had to write your name, and then your definition, what would it say?
Would it be a collection of traits, hobbies and virtues? Would you be able to strip yourselves cleanly of those three things and still define yourself?
Why or why not?
Ready, set, GO....
So, although I cannot make you do this, I would like you to minimize all distractions while you think about this blog. Exercise your right to have "You" time; put away your phones or tv remotes and for the sake of all that's holy--stop playing Fortnite or whatever time suck application/site you have open. I know those things are necessary to, in some cases, restore sanity, unwind or engage in healthy social discourse--but for now, maximize the "quiet." And really think about this question.
Every day, you wake up, go through your morning rituals, come to school, do your thing(s), go home, go through your evening rituals and then go to bed.
There are obviously some variations to this routine from time to time, and I am not trying to downplay your life in any way by making it sound mundane; that is not the idea here.
What I am saying is, that through all of this, these daily activities, rituals and routines people interact with you.
They talk to you, refer to you, question you, yell at you, soothe you, talk about you, defer to you or, in some cases, though hopefully not many, ignore you completely. The point is, they KNOW who you are, at least enough to do one or more of the previous things.
But, when you stop to think about it, do they really know? And, more importantly, do YOU?
Beyond names, job titles or academic or athletic accomplishments, beyond labels given by yourself or by others, who are you?
Who are you inside?
If you had to write your name, and then your definition, what would it say?
Would it be a collection of traits, hobbies and virtues? Would you be able to strip yourselves cleanly of those three things and still define yourself?
Why or why not?
Ready, set, GO....
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