I believe lives spiral in all directions. Our experiences make those spirals broaden and narrow as well as intersect throughout time. We spiral between past and present, one idea and the next, multiple experiences, and numerous places. We take what we know with us and the spirals gain traction from the energy of our experiences, dreams, and people and places around us.
As our lives spiral, I believe we need to think about where we are going, where we have been, and what we desire. We have to take note of the intersections and the limitations too, intersections and limitations which give the spirals shape. d
Friday, August 03, 2018
Changing Families; Changing Times
It's been almost six months since my brother died, and yesterday it seemed like he was alive in everyone's minds and hearts. Our awareness of him was likely due to the summer heat and the many memories we have of him enjoying the beaches and surf on Cape Cod. He liked to fish, ride the waves, swim, explore, set up camp, and spend long hours up and down the outer cape shore.
His closest family members including his children are busy with sorting his things and making decisions about the possessions he left behind and rethinking and living their lives without him.
I find myself unconsciously including him on invite lists as we prepare for our family summer celebrations and looking back at his Facebook page or family photos with a bit of a sting now and then.
Families change, and as you grow older, you are more aware of those changes. My summer lunches with my mom have made that clearer to me. In her life, there are as many close family members who have passed as who are alive. There was a time when she would go out in her hometown and see people she knew at every corner, but now there are more memories of times past than people she knows. Our lunches are filled with stories of the past, stories that capture her free spirited, happy youth as well as her rambunctious and fun loving nature.
She told me about the way her dad, a postman, would pick up her grandfather at lunch and bring him to a local park to sew his clothes and spend some time outdoors. She would drop by the park after school and help him thread his needles. She points out where her aunt lived, the places she worked, where she met my dad while playing cards with her sorority, and the walks she took with her younger brother, sister, and cousins to swim at the pond or go to a movie. Someday soon I want to take her on a photo tour where we'll capture all these places in pictures--we'll make a book, and share that book with others, a book of times gone by and a book that captures our family's spirit and history.
Our small, intimate families change as I've written about before and our big, extended families change too. Soon we'll celebrate another milestone birthday for my mom--a number of family members close and extended will join us. We'll likely tell stories, share good food, and make my mom's beautiful blue Irish eyes light up.
I want to regard these days well. I want to think about what's important to my close and extended family at this time, and I want to build a loving home and lifestyle for the next generations too. Changing family, changing times are at the forefront of my thoughts on this very humid, but bright, summer day.
His closest family members including his children are busy with sorting his things and making decisions about the possessions he left behind and rethinking and living their lives without him.
I find myself unconsciously including him on invite lists as we prepare for our family summer celebrations and looking back at his Facebook page or family photos with a bit of a sting now and then.
Families change, and as you grow older, you are more aware of those changes. My summer lunches with my mom have made that clearer to me. In her life, there are as many close family members who have passed as who are alive. There was a time when she would go out in her hometown and see people she knew at every corner, but now there are more memories of times past than people she knows. Our lunches are filled with stories of the past, stories that capture her free spirited, happy youth as well as her rambunctious and fun loving nature.
She told me about the way her dad, a postman, would pick up her grandfather at lunch and bring him to a local park to sew his clothes and spend some time outdoors. She would drop by the park after school and help him thread his needles. She points out where her aunt lived, the places she worked, where she met my dad while playing cards with her sorority, and the walks she took with her younger brother, sister, and cousins to swim at the pond or go to a movie. Someday soon I want to take her on a photo tour where we'll capture all these places in pictures--we'll make a book, and share that book with others, a book of times gone by and a book that captures our family's spirit and history.
Our small, intimate families change as I've written about before and our big, extended families change too. Soon we'll celebrate another milestone birthday for my mom--a number of family members close and extended will join us. We'll likely tell stories, share good food, and make my mom's beautiful blue Irish eyes light up.
I want to regard these days well. I want to think about what's important to my close and extended family at this time, and I want to build a loving home and lifestyle for the next generations too. Changing family, changing times are at the forefront of my thoughts on this very humid, but bright, summer day.
Thursday, August 02, 2018
Readying for School Year 2018-2019
How are you doing with your school year 2018-2019 preparation?
Every teacher readies in somewhat different ways. In fact, I prepare a bit differently every year dependent on my personal responsibilities over the summer.
I update this prep and planning list each year to guide my work. It is a very helpful list.
I'm plugging away as I prepare. Most of the big think and research is complete, and now I'm focused on creating exemplars, purchasing a few items, and of course, the classroom set-up which I'll do a day or two before the year starts. Typically I go in and set up on rainy summer days, but this year I'm waiting for some new furniture for my classroom that will hopefully arrive the week before school starts which means a bit of a delay for set-up.
Like most teachers, I find the start of school to be a celebratory time as I look forward to meeting my new students and working with my colleagues and families to teach well. Onward.
Every teacher readies in somewhat different ways. In fact, I prepare a bit differently every year dependent on my personal responsibilities over the summer.
I update this prep and planning list each year to guide my work. It is a very helpful list.
I'm plugging away as I prepare. Most of the big think and research is complete, and now I'm focused on creating exemplars, purchasing a few items, and of course, the classroom set-up which I'll do a day or two before the year starts. Typically I go in and set up on rainy summer days, but this year I'm waiting for some new furniture for my classroom that will hopefully arrive the week before school starts which means a bit of a delay for set-up.
Like most teachers, I find the start of school to be a celebratory time as I look forward to meeting my new students and working with my colleagues and families to teach well. Onward.
Wednesday, August 01, 2018
Making a better world one step at a time
I am tired of events that take people down and waste time. I am a big fan of positive events, efforts, and decisions that enrich lives and make things better.
That said, I'm aware that even when we are well meaning we may not contribute well to betterment. We make mistakes, we don't know it all, and we are compromised again and again. Yet, most people have the potential of working towards betterment and seeking to uplift their own lives and the lives of others.
Clearly there are actions, efforts, investments, and ways to bring people down. Hateful rhetoric, disrespectful speech, and violent actions against innocents are ways to bring people down and destroy lives and our potential for good.
At this time in the world, it is in our best interests to work for betterment in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our world, and it's best to support those around us who do the same.
When we work for companies who create products or forward policies that break laws, ruin the environment, create harmful products, or hurt others, we don't work for betterment. While some may have to choose between supporting their families and working for less than positive organizations, most of us can move in the direction of working for or leading organizations that work for betterment--organizations that are willing to do what they need to do to uplift and enrich lives and our planet rather than bring down and ruin the potential for good that exists.
The same goes for people we affiliate with and support--we don't need to support the actions of friends, family members, or leaders who don't work for the best interests of others and we do need to nudge each other forward to do what is right and good. We all face challenges in this realm and when you surround yourself by people who make good choices, you're likely to do the same.
I hate to see time wasted on acts that are misguided, destructive, disrespectful, and cruel--the domino effect of actions like these cost people time, money, and good living. It's a waste of time. On the other hand, efforts that enrich lives create capacity for better living and a healthy planet.
If everyone seeks to live well and support efforts to better our world in ways that they can we will see the tide continue to move in the direction of betterment which means good living in real time or happy lives.
We can do this.
That said, I'm aware that even when we are well meaning we may not contribute well to betterment. We make mistakes, we don't know it all, and we are compromised again and again. Yet, most people have the potential of working towards betterment and seeking to uplift their own lives and the lives of others.
Clearly there are actions, efforts, investments, and ways to bring people down. Hateful rhetoric, disrespectful speech, and violent actions against innocents are ways to bring people down and destroy lives and our potential for good.
At this time in the world, it is in our best interests to work for betterment in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our world, and it's best to support those around us who do the same.
When we work for companies who create products or forward policies that break laws, ruin the environment, create harmful products, or hurt others, we don't work for betterment. While some may have to choose between supporting their families and working for less than positive organizations, most of us can move in the direction of working for or leading organizations that work for betterment--organizations that are willing to do what they need to do to uplift and enrich lives and our planet rather than bring down and ruin the potential for good that exists.
The same goes for people we affiliate with and support--we don't need to support the actions of friends, family members, or leaders who don't work for the best interests of others and we do need to nudge each other forward to do what is right and good. We all face challenges in this realm and when you surround yourself by people who make good choices, you're likely to do the same.
I hate to see time wasted on acts that are misguided, destructive, disrespectful, and cruel--the domino effect of actions like these cost people time, money, and good living. It's a waste of time. On the other hand, efforts that enrich lives create capacity for better living and a healthy planet.
If everyone seeks to live well and support efforts to better our world in ways that they can we will see the tide continue to move in the direction of betterment which means good living in real time or happy lives.
We can do this.
Reacting to the book, Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
To read this book was to enter into the story of multiple generations of a Chinese family who lived throughout China, Hong Kong, Canada, and the United States. To read this book was to consider government's affect on family, culture, the arts, and relationships. It was also an opportunity to think about personality, choice, and family ties.
I must say I ached as I read the book and became very irritable. I hated the scenes of oppression and the evident drive by some to ruin past creations such as music, instruments, homes, and other artifacts--items that took tremendous inspiration and hard work. I didn't like the will to make people act the same rather than be the individuals they are, and I was so saddened by the characters' lack of personal freedom to live and choose to be and do what they desired.
I am one who believes in nurturing people's unique and positive talents, interests, and passions. I marvel at the wonderful traits that people hold and see those traits as gifts to all of us and gifts to focus on, make stronger, and share for the benefit of others. To deny an individual his/her gifts, vision, unique abilities seems cruel and limiting to me because I believe we can all benefit from each others passions and gifts.
I also hated the scenes of blatant hate and harm, scenes where people were tormented for simply being who they were, loving what they loved, and imparting their wisdom, interests, or skills. And I deplored the scenes which showed no compassion or understanding of children--scenes where children were made to see and/or experience harsh realities.
The book made me wonder about how we face hard times as the characters in the story faced the challenges that existed in different ways. The book also made me realize that fate plays a role too--some were able to survive a harsh set of circumstances while others were overcome by that reality.
The story made me want to learn more about China. I want to study the country via a map, movies, more reading, and possibly a visit someday. Further, the story made me consider different types of relationships and now those relationships affect our lives. It was definitely a story that I'll return to again and again in time, a story that opened the door to more learning, wondering, and understanding about China and the many people who have lived there, live there still, and who have immigrated from there.
Most of all the book made me want to work for free countries with governments that respect and uplift the lives of individuals. I will be interested in discussing the book with my son to see what stood out for him and what questions remain as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)