Each day we set out, interact with our environment and its inhabitants, and write a story in some medium. We create and author our life’s story in this fashion.
Courage on the Edge
The dominant society or group within believes they control the conversation. What would happen if we trusted each other and made ourselves vulnerable? What would happen if we acknowledged and accepted differences? It takes courage, but it is possible. It takes us to acknowledge the other and reach out. In those moments of vulnerability and courage, we expose our self in ways that take us outside comfort zones.
There is courage in vulnerability
One sits on the edge;
The perimeter
Or margins
Not hidden in the crowd.
Expand boundaries–
Encourage and pull
Do not discourage and pull
Make invisible visible
Give a name to the other.
Create spaces;
Not for agreement
But, where agreement meets
On the edges
Reveal the other in your welcome.
David is someone I follow and he wrote about an issue close to my heart- uncommon common sense.
Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people. W C Fields
The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness. Vladimir Nabokov
Ivonprefontaine has a nice phrase from his wife Kathy in a comment on my last post about telling the time when the clocks change. He refers to “uncommon common sense”, a phrase from Kathy’s farming culture. “Common sense” was a phrase I woke up with this morning. Such telepathy across the world. This stream of consciousness comes from my having to justify the value of the common sense of a group of highly intelligent people (and the knowledge and understanding that their common sensing has developed over a period of time) against inflexible bureaucratic procedures.
I grew up in a house of common sense. My questions…
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Mojo Gathers Momentum
This was not originally a poem. It was a summary of the past year and the struggle to find a new space where I could create and be fully present. It all began in Oakland about this time last year and has grown with each ensuing day.
It just happened–
I let go
Spoke without anger–
A sadness;
For what is lost.
Stared into the abyss–
Sat with unformed questions
Terrifying
The darkness;
The incompleteness.
Took stock
Looked inwards–
Accepted extended hands
Discarded baggage
Walked towards the light.
Mojo gained momentum–
Sprung up in a creative space
Simple presence
Live my truth;
With each moment’s question.
Have you ever just woke and let the day unfold and reveal its mystery?
Do Pigs Have Udders?
I had some serious fun today with students. I was alone which is not the norm, but, on short notice, the parent helper could not make it. It is extra demanding on those days where I learn alone with the kids, but it is, many times, the most interesting times. While I was away a most interesting question came up: “Do pigs have udders?” Apparently, this was a hotly debated topic and it was brought up again today. I laughed. It was funny and pointed to an irrevocable truth: human curiosity and eloquent questions lead the way as we learn.
A simple question
Eloquently posed
Curiosity fueled;
The energy behind learning.
What does that mean?
Is it true?
Many more queries;
We seek and fill gaps–
Not with certitude;
Uncertainty prevails.
Years later
I am sure I will smile and chuckle;
I recall–
Appreciate the quality
A simple, provocative question–
Do pigs have udders?
As best as we can learn, they do and it was fun trying to figure it out. Adolescent children ask the darnedest things. Laughter is a great cure for even the most challenging moments.
I attended a retreat based on Parker Palmer’s thinking and writing this past weekend. This quote summarizes the importance of relationships and lifting the other from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
If we want to grow as teachers — we must do something alien to academic culture: we must talk to each other about our inner lives — risky stuff in a profession that fears the personal and seeks safety in the technical, the distant, the abstract.
― Parker J. Palmer, The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life
Consider that we are all teachers…and learners.
What are my personal experiences, fears and dreams? What is my inner life? Am I sharing it with others?
I talk, and listen, to myself, practicing in the safety of my journal.
Laura, it’s time.
Here’s a bit of sharing…My after school kids playing darts in the Number Games class.
I love eloquent questions which according to Vico and later Gadamer are foundational in the building of community. They tap into the wisdom of the elder generation and support the younger generation. Here are some great ones to start the day.
Welcome Differences
I sat in SeaTac airport in Seattle for about 6 hours and had much time to reflect. The result was a number of poems. This one wrote itself based on a wonderful conversation about the need for leadership to allow the disallowable into the circle. We each have gifts to offer. It takes patience and a new conversation to welcome others into our tight little circles. In the end, we share a little of each other and there is more the same than different in all likelihood.
Patience–
We need it to converse fully;
A new conversation
One that allows the disallowable.
‘Intelligence’ prevails–
Facts and knowledge
Supplant heart’s courage–
Wisdom;
Common sense.
What seems obvious now
Was all along
We pause briefly
Just long enough
Observe–
Awaken, listen deeply.
Welcome that which is different
Invite him or her forward
Complete the circle–
Another piece of peace.
Each unique view fills a void
Give each one voice
Herald it with life;
It is one I do not have
I cannot have
It belongs to someone else
Yet, to me, as well.
Just a thought for adults beginning the week. Creativity is something you can bring forth. My comment to Mike’s excellent post was add a quiet space and disconnect. This has worked wonders for me.
My two year old daughter is proud of her pumpkin. The trip to the pumpkin patch included lots of searching, sifting, and sorting. Then it happened. She selected her pumpkin from hundreds of others.
Now instead of talking about pumpkins, let’s talk about ideas. How proud are you of the ideas you select? How do you sift and sort before sharing them with the world?
The secret is to unlock your creativity by using a brainstorming process on a regular basis.
Pumpkins Are Like Ideas
You’ll find a few prize pumpkins and a few rotten ones in every patch. But your first impression may not be the right one. The same holds true for ideas.
Whether you are creating a presentation, delivering a sales pitch, or solving a complex problem, you need a process that reliably identifies your best thinking. Below are five steps to move you in…
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Teacher as Transformer 