Clamorous Quiet

Inspiration and models for good living surround us. I believe that you simply have to find some quiet space in your life... to look and listen. Then, like The Field of Dreams, "They will come.” All sorts of Turkish Delights.

In elementary school, I idolized Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy. In those ladies’ worlds, wearing pumps was natural and somehow practical for solving mysteries. Hiding in dumbwaiters and eavesdropping on conversations seemed like a perfect adventure, and keeping a notepad tucked carefully inside a coat pocket felt safely scandalous.

In high school, I let go of those fantasies. Fitting in made more sense. Not sure I did a whole lot of listening to the universe during those years. Then came college, which presented some diversity in thinking and doing. Still, I floundered around like a fish out of water, never really certain of where I belonged. That continued for MANY years.

Now, I feel like I have reverted back to my childhood. Albeit, a more responsible childhood. Being surrounded by children everyday helps with that. Each morning, I am repeatedly amazed at how kids can turn my entire day around when they walk into the classroom. They smile, joke, and proudly tell me great stories about their lives. Kids have a refreshing honesty. They find happiness in the smallest pleasures. Their eyes ignite and sparkle at the tiniest wonder. When a topic of interest is presented, these miniature people can become incredibly passionate about LEARNING!! Many of these children already experience the harsh realities of life, and yet so many of them exhibit a remarkable resilience. They are simple, yet complex.

A dichotomy.

Children, in my limited experience, are the opposite of a cliché’, a non sequitur. Just when I think I have even one THEM figured out…Wham! Someone will throw a wrench in my bicycle spokes. Recently, I had to apologize to a student. I forgot to filter my sense of humor, and I hurt someone’s feelings. Teachers are human too; we make mistakes. I make a lot of them. I try to learn from them, become more sensitive, and offer a genuine request for forgiveness. I’m sure there are many toes I’ve unintentionally smashed without making amends.

Last year, my life was a noisy clamor. I couldn’t hear the whispers, despite their attempts to penetrate my ear canal. Words, spoken or written, made much less impact on me then. That is a shameful admission. I was so busy forming my responses that I wasn’t paying attention to what people were saying, the meaning behind their words. I’m pretty sure I was only half listening to everyone around me. How awful! I am trying to improve on that this year.

I don’t want my life to be a race. I hope it could be an experience to savor. I realize the patented trademark, Life is Good, is a luxury not afforded to most of the human population. How egocentric to think life is a blessing! Right now millions of people are suffering. How am I helping them? I am living a euphoric lifestyle of teaching, socializing, reading, thinking, writing, running, and EATING. How can a handful of humans enjoy life, when the majority can’t even find a way to meet their basic needs?

A few nights ago a friend helped me identify constellations in the night sky using StarWalk. I am continually amazed by such applications. It still blows my mind (for lack of a better expression) at the exponential way in which technology grows. And then, there's the upcoming Project Natal.

The first link (below) is an updated version of the video, which taught us that students are being educated for jobs that don’t even exist yet. I just watched this new version on Monday at the first session of a fall graduate course. For me, it was a stark reminder of the increasingly competitive and globalized world we live in. The second link is a cliff notes version of a contemporary book, which attempts to explain the current shift from industrial labor to technological careers. It explains the deeper reasons for outsourcing American jobs.

Did you know?

The Third Wave

I can’t help but wonder if these progressive thinkers are issuing a prediction for the obsolete future of my own employment. If so, I hope I can reconfigure my mindset and find a place in the next wave.

What interesting times we live in!

Oh, and IF I had an iPhone, I would WANT: Dragon Dictation, Card Star, and Good Guide. How selfish!