It has been an extraordinarily sad day and that was clear in the blogs I follow. A profound sense of sorrow and loss echoed through the digital world. What was extraordinary was the sense what has happened in Connecticut needs to end. This centred on the question: “What can I do?” I think we can do much, but the change begins with us and moves out. As I take my weekly pause, I want to give some thought to what can I do?
On a sombre day–
Grief and sorrow the order,
A message heard:
Change begins in me.
I am a catalyst
I look inside:
Call forth a gentle spirit–
Give it voice.
In light, love happens–
Resonates,
Reaches out its hand
Beckons others join.
Rings on clearest pond,
Ripples of love touch,
Right cascades forth,
Good people meet.
Good touches good,
Prayer meets prayer,
Love conquers hate
Join together.
Good people summoned–
Their tears catalyze,
Grieve and heal as one,
We are change.
Be a community–
It is not a distant loss:
It is our loss–
Feel it.
Small change is ours–
We each contribute,
Love multiplies:
Heals the world.
About ivonprefontaine
In keeping with bell hooks and Noam Chomsky, I consider myself a public and dissident intellectual. Part of my work is to move beyond (transcend) institutional dogmas that bind me to defend freedom, raising my voice to be heard on behalf of those who seek equity and justice in all their forms.
I completed my PhD in Philosophy of Leadership Studies at Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA. My dissertation and research was how teachers experience becoming teachers and their role as leaders.
I focus on leading, communicating, and innovating in organizations. This includes mindfuful servant-leadership, World Cafe events, Appreciative Inquiry, and expressing one's self through creativity. I offer retreats, workshops, and presentations that can be tailored to your organzations specific needs.
I published peer reviewed articles about schools as learning organizations, currere as an ethical pursuit, and hope as an essential element of adult eductaion. I published three poems and am currently preparing my poetry to publish as an anthology of poetry.
I present on mindful leadership, servant leadership, schools as learning organizations, how teachers experience becoming teachers, assessement, and critical thinking. I facilitate mindfulness, hospitality retreats. and World Cafe Events using Appreciative Inquiry.
I am writing and researching about various forms of leadership, how teachers inform and form their identity as a particular teacher, schools as learning organizations, hope, nonviolence and its anticipatory relationship with the future, as essential elements to teaching and learning.
Academic publications can be found at Ivon Gile Prefontaine on ResearchGate
Teacher as Transformer 
THANK YOU!
BE ENCOURAGED! BE BLESSED!
You are welcome Francine.
“Do not ask for whom the bells toll, it tolls for thee.”
Beautiful poem Ivon.
Thank you Cindy. The John Donne line seems appropriate today.
“Love multiplies: Heals the world.” Thank you, Ivon!
You are welcome Amy.
There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?
NA 3:19
Beautiful poem tor love and healing. Thank you Ivon.
You are welcome Tiny.
This is the first entry of yours that I have read so far (I just stumbled across your blog a few minutes ago!), and this is really a great post. Beautiful words.
Thank you Alexa. I am glad you found your way here. I see you are following and I will return the favour. I look forward to following your journey and sharing mine.
Take care,
Ivon
Very nice and Inspirational poem for Love and Healing.
A beautiful poem Ivon that made me stop and think.
Thank you Ruth. The whole series of events made me stop and think. Change begins with me. That is hard lesson to learn.
I have nominated your blog for the Blog of the Year 2012 Award! Please find the details at http://tinylessonsblog.com/2012/12/17/three-stars-thank-you/. Here is another star for your collection – congratulations!
Thank you Tiny.
Emotive and evocative. A beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing
You are welcome and thank you Luciana.
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