My energy was drained in the past two weeks by a couple of events that really don't matter at all in the long run. The events are events that will be quickly forgotten, and events that contribute to little capacity, strength, truth, or justice. Why did I let those events drain me? Why didn't I simply turn in a different direction and invest my energy into a more substantial, positive effort?
I thought a lot about this after I watched Oprah's amazing Cecil B. DeMille Award acceptance speech this morning. As I thought, I realized that I've let some powerful and meaningful efforts lag in order to give energy to less important or impactful efforts. I have to reroute that energy investment, and make sure that I'm giving my time to efforts that really matter.
I was also impacted by a letter I received that affirmed Timothy Snyder's call in his book, On Tyranny--a call to invest in institutions that matter because it is good institutions like our unions and public schools that make our communities strong. If we stand up for all people, life for everyone will be better whereas if we choose some over others, our nation will be fractured and weak.
The truth when it comes to energy investment is that we can't be all people and we can't give to all. We have to choose wisely about where we will invest our energy, and we have to carefully evaluate how we devote our time, talent, interest, and effort towards the people, places, and institutions we choose.
First, I choose my family. Next, my students and school community, and after that the union, local, state, and national and state-related education organizations. These are good choices--choices that will help me to contribute to positive effort at home and in the community.
What will you choose? How will you make that decision? And what will you do with those choices that will make a positive difference?
For me, there's a lot of good work to do to empower the academic program in ways that matter. Similarly there's good work to do with the local and state union and other organizations too. Onward.
