Your Gifts

Every morning I read a selection from a book called A Year of Miracles by Marianne Williamson. The readings are based on the book A Course in Miracles, of which I've been a longtime student.

Earlier this week, on a page entitled For Reflection: On Where to Put Our Talents, I read the following:

We're not raised in a society that asks, "What are your gifts, and how can they make the world a more beautiful place?" We're usually asked something more like this: "What will you do to make a living?" This knocks us out of our natural rhythm, because the soul simply doesn't think that way.

I decided right then and there I would ask my learners the two important questions.

Although it turned out to be a challenge for some of my young people to understand they had a gift to give the world, most of them dove right in with answers. Since we are an arts school, many of the 146 responses had to do with art, theater, dance, and music. And there was a smattering of sport and video game related responses.

We often don't get to talk about these things in school, and I think it was a wonderful exercise for them to have to think about this.  By the way, one person did ask what my gift was and I said writing! Doing it, teaching it, reading about it. I am a writer, for sure!

I have selected 20 of the responses to share here:

I am funny and sarcastic. I can make people laugh.

I'm good at being nice to people. I can help give the world more kindness.

I am great at math and can become a math teacher.

I'm good at running in football and soccer. I can make kids healthy again.

My gifts are intelligence, music, imagination, and courage. I can help the world by making new medicines and other amazing achievements.

I am good at acting and academics. Theater makes people happy, and academics advances the quality of life.

My gifts are kindness and generosity. I can spread more joy throughout the world.

I am good at basketball, and I can show my dunking skills when I'm in the WBNA.

My gift is being smart. I can make schools for people who can't afford them.

Art is my gift. I can make spread beauty by creating art pieces for the world to admire. 

 

Even the ocean gives us a gift we all enjoy! 

I am good at reading and academics. I can be a teacher and help people understand things.

Dance. I can perform and entertain people for their enjoyment.

My mom says I'm a big-hearted person. I care a lot for my friends and family and strangers.

My gift is styling clothes. I can help style and inspire other people.

 

Reading, swimming, public speaking, being kind, and making friends. I can help make people feel more welcome at school.

Music and patience. I can listen to people's  problems and comfort them, then I can show them some awesome music.

I have a gift for makeup and creativity. I can create a makeup line and spread positivity and diversity in the makeup community.

I am a positive person. I can pick people up when they're feeling down, and help them feel more confident and happy.

I can make some mean fried chicken. I can make people's bellies feel great.

 

I'm good at violin, figure skating, soccer, gymnastics, dance, and singing. My friends say I'm funny and kind. I can't fix the world, but I can make my friends happy, and they can spread the positivity.

*

You can bet I'll be doing this activity again!

The Fire

This morning I read the poem “You Darkness” by Rainer Marie Rilke, and decided to use the last line to start my own poem. 

I have faith in the night

as it brings me ideas 

and yes, sometimes worries 

and on occasion, regrets.

The older I grow the more I know 

the value of the dark,

and this is what Rilke 

so brilliantly expresses.

The fire —it’s fine 

but what we need most 

is the dark,

so we can find the fire

 in ourselves.

One Direction

Last night while making dinner, a song came on and I found myself dancing and singing along. It brought back such a happy memory.

It was my last year teaching seniors, and it was one of my AICE Literature classes. They were among the smartest kids I ever taught, and I thought I knew their musical taste—mostly hip hop, with one girl being a Beatles fan. Nicki Minaj was a favorite, I know.

The school news would come on at the end of the period. At the end of one broadcast, a video started. In my memory, I did not know the song or the video, but every other person in the room did. The entire class burst out in song, singing at the top of their lungs. It was so joyful, so fun, and so unexpected, I simply cannot hear the song without the memory attached.

And that’s why every time I hear it, there is only one direction to go…open up my lungs and loudly sing along!

Inspired by Stars

 

In my classroom I have a poster that looks like an eye chart with the Emerson quote “When it’s dark enough, you can see the stars.”

Today I read a poem called “Dark Days” by Nikita Gill. It resonated because I feel like I’m coming out of some darkness regarding my classroom life. A shift has occurred…a much needed shift.

I created this found poem from Gill’s. 

I look at the stars

Patchwork of time

Single burst of starlight

Beautiful piece of art

A better version of me

They are helping me see

The Individual

 

What is planted in each person’s soul will sprout. —Rumi

I read a quote this morning about how individual students are loving and funny and beautiful people, but it is the classroom dynamic where things go awry.

And I believe that!

Yesterday I put my energy into the individual. I talked to more students one on one than I normally do in a school day. It kept me grounded and focused on the right things.

In other words — I looked away from the group dynamic that so often causes me angst.

And it was a busy day!

Now…to keep it up.

18 Months

 I’ve long known it takes 18 months to really get the hang of a job. I have witnessed this in my own life over and over ever since Jim told me this fact. It is what he witnessed when he was in charge of salespeople. It was never wise to let them go too soon if they didn’t “perform.”

I am now looking at that number in reverse. 18 months is what I have left as a teacher in public schools. 

And I still feel like I’m trying to get it right.

Today I begin a new adventure. Okay, maybe not entirely new, but a new approach. I am storyboarding what we are doing, I’m making chapters, and I’m crystal clear on what needs to be accomplished. In other words, why we do the things we do.

Has this always been built in to my teaching in some way? I suppose. But this new process is making it clearer to me, and that matters the most. I know the strongest influence of the classroom environment is the teacher. 

It reminds me so much of reading Bob Dylan’s memoir, where he talks about how something broke open in his brain and he suddenly could see how he could approach his music in an entirely new way. This was at the end of the 1980s, and as I write this I’m listening to the album that came out of this timeframe, and I’m loving it. It is setting a tone for me that connects across time and space. 

For the next 18 months I commit again to getting it right. To ditch my cynicism and sarcasm and anger and frustration and replace with light and laughter and love and joy and remember the age and needs of my learners. I still believe I have the best job in the world, and I know that if I don’t at least try, what good am I?

The Impossible

 what is impossible

happens everyday

—Nikita Gill—

I think of my learners

who seem so impossible

at times

and I have a new thought

because I know it’s true

because people can change

and I will believe

and hold that space. 

(Written 12/16/23)