I arrive at the end of another busy, fruitful week. I begin the digital sabbath and spend time looking in, reading quietly, writing, and reflect on what is revealed. What is my heart’s purpose?
I gently reach into my heart,
A space not easily entered–
It resists busyness–
Asks for something different.
Here, at heart’s door
I listen carefully,
Patiently,
Then, a faint whisper.
Tenderly emerges…
Here, in delicate quietness;
Here, in exquisite solitude;
Here, in rich frailty;
Here, in soft strength
But, only when I listen
My inner teacher speaks.
What do I hear?
I am uncertain–
It is the soul that speaks
It speaks differently–
Not in human terms–
In spiritual terms.
Wisdom discerned…
Revealed slowly…
In that patience and calmness…
Life animated…
This way
Life’s fruit borne.
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 
Love everything about this, Dear Ivon! Reaching inward, heart and soul, elicits life’s ripest fruit — Delicious…Thanks YOU!
Thank you and you are welcome.
Beautiful words emanate from a wise mind and your writings exemplify that.. Wonderful to say the least…!
Thank you Swati.
That really touched me….:)
Thank you Khaula. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Touching. Nice composition. Concept beautiful.
Thank you for all the wonderful comments today Lvsrao. I am grateful for your visits.
We need both, don’t we? I need a time of quiet and reflection – a time to recharge my battery, but if I overcharge it, I’m lonely, and grumpy. If I don’t charge it, I can’t keep talking and going. You have expressed it beautifully. 🙂 Have a great week. Marsha 🙂
Thank you Marsha and you enjoy your week.
You, too, Ivon! 🙂
A most apt and enjoyabole poem with a message that is clear and loving. Thank you. Warm Regards, Tasha
You are welcome and thank you Tasha.
Such divine poetry from the heart, thx for sharing Ivon! ♥
You are most welcome.