Trial by Fire
Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.
I’m pretty sure that this quote has to do with standing up for what is right, but it made me think of how hard everything is right now. For me as a teacher…for the students trying to make gold out of straw…the quote made me think of how we ARE rising against this adversity, this wind that would blow us over. Every day we get up, maybe get out of our PJ bottoms, and we KEEP MOVING. On the other side of this, we will look back in wonder at what has been accomplished. I don’t care to hear from statisticians about the data…about the test scores…you can absolutely SHOVE those. I will look back and marvel at how we survived and thrived. We learned more than just the lessons in the books. We learned how to comfort and love…both ourselves and others…in ways we never thought we would need to. We learned a measure of discipline…don’t touch your face, wear a mask, social distance, don’t eat that. We learned creative ways to encounter, to touch, to teach. This is enormous. We have learned that sometimes the students need a day to just talk about how they are feeling and what they are worried about…my little kites.
As I feel the wind pick up again I intend to lean into it so that I can make the most of the lift. Watch this kite rise…with all my little kites attached and coming along for the ride.
