As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Things I love today
Sleeping late
Glass beads
Folded laundr
Another cold, rainy day … yuck … it will give my procrastinating self the push to get some inside of the home work done. I know we need the rain though I am missing the spring weather we had for a few weeks. Weather people say this week will be cold and rainy most of the time. I want Spring back – now!
I was searching my files this morning for collections of quotes for Krista and came upon this poem I wrote in 2007. Usually when I find past pieces of writing I see a gazillion changes I would make … not this one; love it just as it is. What do you think?
I dream for a time … May, 2007
I dream for a time when all children are able to learn happily – a time when learning is always invigorating and fun – a time when learning isn’t about reading someone else’s ideas in a book, often leaving kids with prejudice and bias – but a time when children [and adults] learn through doing/seeing/being – thinking with one’s heart and appreciating that every person on this planet has equal value.
I dream for a time when learning isn’t a measure of ‘us against them’ – a time when our academic and life learning energies encompass all – a time when we know that knowledge is the key … the key to encouraging the young, the old … everyone.
I dream for a time when the borders of countries dissolve and we truly become well-meaning citizens of an amazing world … A time when we as humans do not feel it necessary to inflate our personal egos at the expense of others. A time when humans are not put down and judged because of gender, learning styles, skin color, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, monetary worth, desire to be married, desire to have children, desire to adopt children … whether it be from the country in which we reside or from a small community in Africa.
I dream of a time when we all realize it is our responsibility to take care of our neighbors.
I dream of a time when we all choose to work through our fears, rather than allowing those fears to inflict daily pain on ourselves and others.
I dream of a time when we, as humans of the world, are comfortable and proud of who we are as individuals … accepting that we all ‘get to be’ different – ‘get to feel’ differently – growing and learning from one another – embracing our sameness, while becoming intrigued with and blossoming from, our differences.
I dream of a time when we stop looking for others to blame for unsettling home and world issues; looking within for honest and honorable life paths and solutions.
I dream of a time when I, as a guider of children, never have to dry eyes and help to heal hurts because children and adults alike have berated young souls because they learn differently, look differently, speak differently, move differently …
I dream for the time that as parents, we have the heart and the guts to tell our children that calling others derogatory names is not ever in jest – it serves only to infiltrate young minds to grow with and to continue the insanity …
I dream for the time that we completely care for the planet we were given – whether we all agree on how we acquired it, and/or how we arrived upon it. Global warming may be a political term that, as humans, we just can’t agree on – our planet wasn’t really built for all that our progress has inflicted upon it – together we can make this beautiful land a more healthy place for future generations.
I dream for a time when we smile at everyone – men, women, Buddhists, Christians, Jews, Muslims, Atheists, heterosexuals, homosexuals, African Americans, all shades of white Americans, Asians and all citizens of the world –
I dream for a time when adults realize that giving toy guns to children begins the desire to shoot and to kill.
I dream for a time when we can enjoy all colors because we like them … not concerning ourselves with pink being for girls and blue being for boys.
I dream for a time when all humans seek the good in one another, rather than quickly acknowledging the bad … a day when respect becomes the only necessary rule.
And … this year …
During this school year, I had the opportunity to spend my days with 13 amazing students and their families. We laughed, researched, cried, discussed, yelled, debated and hugged our way through many preconceived notions. As we left the fear behind and dug in to honest learning, we became more intelligent, more heart strong, more accountable, more honorable, and so much more real than any of us ever imagined.
In our small and significant circle of the world, I lived my dream … 15 people, ages 7 to 55, with chaotic harmony, embraced the differences, appreciated the baggage each human carries; as we stood covering each other’s backs and hearts … knowing – we are all connected – we are all related – neighbors from all around our world – where we are so much more the same than we are different.
Love crossing things off of my list today. Feels great … I really accomplished a lot … still much to do. Took a break and watched my new favorite TV show – The Talk … I love them all; love Sharon Osborne extra. I’m looking forward to Dancing with the Stars … I am going to take ballroom dancing lessons – soon. I know I keep saying that … I will do it.
Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity; it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.
~William Faulkner
New give-a-way starts tomorrow xo
I hope everyone is having a great start to a wonderful week.
Until tomorrow xo♥
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