You know when was the last moment I was deeply moved? It was this
morning when I went out for my walk, felt myself breathing, mindful of my inner
self, and was aware of all around me. I was excited as if I had fallen in
love, as if I was in my Susie's warm embrace. It was not "just another walk."
It was "another special walk." There is a Zen story of a student who asked his
master what was the Tao, the true way. The master answered, "The every-day
mind is the true way." There is no need to be or do something special, unique,
out-of-the-ordinary. The special is not special because it is touched by
something special, but because it is ordinary in an ordinary moment. That is,
the special should be the ordinary. We just have to be present in the present;
we just have to live in and relish the "now."
I think the biggest struggles we have as academics and as people is
with the question, "Who am I?" and with the answer, "I am becoming" rather than
"I am." When I look at my face in the mirror, when others look at my face, I
don't see some 72 year old geezer. I see and want them to see, as I was before
my retirement and now being retired, my love with life and how I am fully
living. I want people to know that when you live that way, you are less
concerned with approval, you shed inhibitions, you awaken the fire, you go to
the edge of convention and polite society, you become both passionate and calm,
you become grounded and uplifted. Sure, you might have a touch of eccentricity
doing that. And, you sure do turn off or scare a lot of judgmental people. In
fact, some people would call you nutty, drifting from reality. But, I've found
that it is a drift into reality, into discovering and utilizing personal
strengths. Not being "normal" or "adjusted" or "prim and proper" has its
rewards. You come out from the fearful shadows of a need to be accepted by
others on their terms. You end the waiting line of thoughts and deeds you want
to release. You get off the sideline and into the game of life. You stop
dissonantly living two contending lives: outwardly the quiet academic type
using what others might think as your guide, inwardly nurturing "interesting"
tastes and passions as your roadmap. There's a muffling fear, containing, and
weakness in the former and an assuring, unhesitating robustness in the latter.
I tell you that your spirit shines brighter as you feel liberated; you soar
higher as you break the chains; you let that inner imp make an appearance; you
dance with an unrestrained joy in your life; you discover a delicious freedom;
and, you discover unexpected discoveries, and what you thought was reality
isn't. With that in mind, however unfashionable it may be in the intellectual
and stodgy climate of academic, I say that I love people. I find them amazing.
It's as if the sacredness, uniqueness, and nobility come into class clad in
pajamas or pants hanging desperately onto butts, hair crazy colored, body
pierced, skin tattooed.
So, lately I've learned something about truth. Ah, to define "truth."
In my book it is this: the more your truth about teaching leads you to
authentic and sincere and unconditional and every-day embracing, appreciation,
acceptance, warmth, empathy, compassion, care, serving, support, encouragement,
kindness toward, belief in, hope for, faith in, and love of each student, the
truer it is. The more your truth treats the classroom as holy ground, as an
"inner sanctum," as the "Holy of Holies," the truer it is. The more you make
room in the classroom for "every-day miracles," the truer it is. The more your
teaching makes space for "heart spaces," the truer it is. The less it does,
the less real truth there is in your teaching.
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier
http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org
203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta, Ga 31602
(C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\
/\
/^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__
/ \ / \
/ \/ \_ \/ / \/
/\/ / \ /\ \
//\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\/
\_/__\ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" - / \_
Make it a good day
-Louis-
Louis Schmier
http://www.therandomthoughts.edublogs.org
203 E. Brookwood Pl http://www.therandomthoughts.com
Valdosta, Ga 31602
(C) 229-630-0821 /\ /\ /\ /\
/\
/^\\/ \/ \ /\/\__
/ \ / \
/ \/ \_ \/ / \/
/\/ / \ /\ \
//\/\/ /\ \__/__/_/\_\/
\_/__\ \
/\"If you want to climb
mountains,\ /\
_ / \ don't practice on mole
hills" - / \_
---
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