Can't sleep. Can't go out on the streets. Coughing. Coughing.
Coughing.
Hope each of you had a joyous holiday season. I did--and didn't.
Susan and I had
spent the week of Chanukah in California lighting up our lives by spoiling the
grandkids.
Unfortunately, our little, mischievous, "two and three-quarter" year old Nina
gave both
us, especially me, one heck of a cold in return. It was not a nice present.
I'm still
unwrapping it. This "crud" just won't go away.
We returned to Valdosta on Christmas. And though I was sick as a dog
and not
looking forward to turning around for a New Year's week in the uninviting and
cold
environs of Boston, off I went with Susan to see her brother and his family
coughing,
sneezing, wheezing, and aching. I'm glad I did even though I placed myself
under virtual
house arrest.
We hit Valdosta Thursday night. I don't want to see another plane,
especially
those thirteen row cigars with wings they call regional planes, for a long
time. This
morning, on the computer screen a list of 929 messages faced me. Not really in
the mood
to engage in serious discussions about final grades, student course
evaluations, teaching
religion in class, the education value of community colleges, I exercised my
index finger
and tested out the deleted key. But, one message struck me and stopped me in
my tracks.
It merely said, "Joyful." That's what I needed in this time of a stuffed nose,
watery
eyes, a pair of clogged lungs, and atrophying muscles.
It wasn't the uplifting, "motivational" holiday message I thought it
was. And
yet, it was. It's turning out to be just what the doctor ordered. Certainly a
better
treatment for my spirit than the foul tasting cough medicine I am being force
to swallow
by my personal Nurse Ratched. Anyway, the note was from a student who had been
in class
this past fall semester. She had been a constant challenge, and that's all
I'll say.
"....I just looked at my grade in class. I can't believe it and I
still can't
believe what I had to do and did to deserve to keep that A you gave us on the
first day of
class. I never would have gotten it if you hadn't gotten in my face that day
and said to
me, 'I won't let you fail yourself or this course.' I learned so much about
myself thanks
to you. I'll never forget how you said, 'It's not about your ability. It's
all about
attitude. So get a good one that makes you feel capable.' You kept being in
my face
until I slowly got in my own face. Why did you do that? Why did to put so
much into me
when no one else ever has?...."
I just wrote her back:
"It's simple. Like I said, it's all about attitude--yours and mine.
When you
feel confident in yourself, you'll feel better about yourself; when feel better
about
yourself, you'll be comfortable in your skin; when you're comfortable in your
skin, you'll
take pride in yourself; and when you take pride in yourself, you'll be stronger
to take on
any challenge hurled at you; when you're stronger to take on any challenge,
doing all
those apparently little things lead to doing the big things. As that happens,
you'll be
less mousey, will disbelieve less, come out from hiding in the shadows more,
blend less in
with the surroundings, and go along to get along less. You'll motivate
yourself more,
take on more challenges, see them more as opportunities than as obstacles,
achieve more,
dazzle more, be more confident, and be more joyful. It's no different with me
or anyone
else. When I had begun to believe that there was joy for me in working with
and for each
student such as you rather in just working for myself, and experienced that
joy, the
classroom truly became a significant and even momentous place of joyous
celebration. It
still is. So, to answer your question, you give me joy as much as you give
yourself joy.
Never underestimate the power of joy. To ignore or deny the value and power of
joy in
yourself as well as in myself, is in itself a form of obstructive sadness."
My new semester begins Monday. This message reminds me of the human
element in
education. I must always remember that with emerging demands for independence,
fears
about peer acceptance, pressures of family, worries about extracurricular
activities,
unsuredness with new and unfamiliar surroundings, a continuous search for
self-identity,
these adolescents--they are not "adults--and even "non-traditional" people, are
on a
physical and emotional and intellectual and spiritual roller coaster. I must
remember
that like every generation before them, including ours, these fellow human
beings have a
surface shyness or arrogance or over-confidence that reveal or mask deep
insecurities
about most things. They will make mistakes, act irrationally, behave badly, and
be
thoroughly self-absorbed. They actually need us more, though they and we will
usually
deny it. And despite continual "battles," if I'm open, if I'm caring, if I'm
authentic,
if I'm approachable, I will experience glorious moments that both they and I
will cherish
always. I must remember not to belittle, ignore, or underestimate the
importance of their
feelings. It may seem like they are overreacting, but they feel emotions like
embarrassment, loneliness, insecurity, confusion, frustration, and love truly
and
intensely. It's horribly disrespectful to minimize or discount these feelings
with useless
advice like "It's nothing" or "You'll get over it" or "Everyone feels that
way." Nor is it
helpful to dismiss or invalidate their feelings by saying, "That's touchy-feely
nonsense"
or "They're adults" or "It's not my concern" or "I'm not a counselor, parent, or
clergyman."
I must remember that each student is important. Someday, these
students will be
the future. And, I have a hand in shaping them and influencing it.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of History www.newforums.com/L_Schmier.htm
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, Georgia 31698 /\ /\ /\ /\
(229-333-5947) /^\\/ \/ \ /\/\____/\ \/\
/ \ \__ \/ /
\ /\/
\ \ /\
//\/\/ /\ \_ /
/___\/\ \ \
\/ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains \ /\
_/ \ don't practice on mole
hills" -/
\
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