I am blessed to teach 4th grade every day. This week, we have been discussing and exploring the life of Martin Luther King Jr. It has been an amazing time of discussion and learning. We even listened to King’s “I Have a Dream” speech today. It was fantastic to witness how captivated the students were by it. I myself never tire of listening to it. I love the passion and conviction in his voice. I love that his dreams are so personal yet so vast. I think many of us stop truly dreaming as adults. We no longer believe that we can affect change in the world. King’s speech reminds me that the seemingly impossible is very possible.
In preparation for this week, I passed out a sheet to my students asking them some questions to pre-assess where they were at in terms of their knowledge and viewpoints on topics such as prejudice, freedom, and heroes. I also had an open ended entry for them to finish that began with “I have a dream that….” I gave no lessons or prompting before passing it out to complete.
After they turned them in, I sat down to read them. I cried. Yes, I am pretty mushy, but I have to say how blessed I was by what they wrote. They have such amazing hearts and beautiful dreams. Here are some of them – pure and unedited.
I have a dream that…
…everyone will get along.
…no one will be pushed around because of their size or capabilities
…everyone will one day love the one and only God
…we would have world peace and all orphans would be helped
…people would not fight
…all people would live equally
…all people in need of food would get it
…everyone could make their dreams come true
…I can go to the Philippines after raising money and give it to all of the poor people
…there can be more schools
…people will be nice to each other
…no one would be without a job or place to live
…there would be no more cruelty to animals
…everyone would have a house and plenty of food to eat
…everyone would believe in Jesus
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
I Don't Sleep, I Dream
I am a dreamer - literally. Every night I dream, always in full color with stunning amounts of detail. This has been the case since I was a child. Most nights, I have several dreams and I do not buy for a minute that dreams are only 30-60 seconds each. Who came up with that anyway? Talk to my husband, who learned a long time ago to ask for the “readers digest" version of my dreams, and he will assure you that there is no way all that transpires in one of my dreams takes place in a minute. Some of my dreams are simply random, with various people from past and present and even faces I have never seen before. Sometime people change into other people as the dreams progress. I have died in my dreams and yes, I remain alive. I have had a gazillion dreams where I am in danger and call 911 only to have the phone not work, receive a busy signal, or be rendered unable to speak when the operator answers. I have had repeat dreams and often wake up from a dream, only to go right back into it when I fall back asleep. I have even gone back into a dream, starting over at the beginning, and changed the outcome.
I have had my share of nightmares, but some of the most powerful dreams I have had, have been those who reveal something to me about myself or those around me. I do a lot of processing in my sleep. I come up with my best solutions to problems and plan entire lessons for my class while sleeping. I have written full poems in my dreams. I have often said I think God uses my dreams to speak to me because it is the only time I am “still” enough to pay attention.
I am used to having an active dream life, but every once in a while, I have a dream that stays with me. I had such a dream last week that is still resonating in my mind. This dream was like a series of vignettes, each seemingly independent from another, that took place over a series of many years. In the first, I met a Russian boy who was new to my high school and was looking to make new friends. In another, I met up with a woman who needed some assistance with her daughter that had Down’s syndrome. A third scenario had me visiting someone in the hospital and coming across an African American nurse named Karniela(?) who was having an very hard time emotionally and needed some encouragement. There were about 3 more such scenarios, all with different people in different situations requiring either assistance or kindness.
In the final vignette of this dream, I was traveling overseas for some reason with a friend, and was in what appeared to be a Middle Eastern country. We were walking on a neighborhood street and, out of nowhere, soldiers or officers of some type appeared and arrested us. The street was full of people. As I was getting put into a vehicle to be taken into custody, I met eyes with a woman who appeared to recognize me. I could not see the rest of her as she was wearing a burka. My friend and I were taken to some kind of holding cell. I was sure that we were not ever going to be released and was bracing myself for what was going to happen to us. A while later, a man showed up and talked to the guards. We were immediately released into his custody. I was very confused. It was at this point that he began to tell me that it was his wife with whom I had locked eyes with and that she knew of me from a picture on a family member’s mantle. She had not only seen the picture but been told of a story of how I had impacted this family with a simple interaction years ago - it was a family from one of the early vignettes in the dream. And then, slowly it was revealed how all of the previous vignettes had led up to this moment. All of the people in the dream were connected in various ways. The nurse I met in the hospital had been a nurse who provided care for the child with Down’s syndrome. It went on and on. It was like this big reveal in flashback - like in Crash or the Sixth Sense.
When I woke up, I was a little overwhelmed. It was a huge dream and I was trying to take it all in. I really wanted to write it all down, but it was SO much (which is why the above is very much a “readers digest” version.) I have been kicking it around in my mind for about a week, trying to figure out what it all meant. It obviously wasn’t your standard dream; I am supposed to glean something from it. I do not think that the point was being nice to people because you may need to be bailed out some day. I think it was much deeper than that.
In each scenario, I was presented with a situation and had a choice in how to respond. I could show kindness and/or provide assistance or simply ignore the need. Now obviously, given that the dream spanned many years and I aged as it went, these weren’t the only interactions I would have had with people throughout that time span. These were, however, the ones that led up to my release.
What I have taken from this dream so far is that every interaction is an opportunity. With everyone I met, I have a choice to be self-centered and guarded or reach out. In life, we face situations like this every day. Do we offer a kind word if we notice a store cashier is sad? Do we even notice? Do we reach out to someone at the doctor’s office waiting room who appears upset or focus solely on our own ailments? Do we get outside of ourselves enough to take as many opportunities as possible to positively affect others’ lives?
In this dream,each scenario presented me with a choice. It is funny and ironic to me that in the last scenario, it was someone else who had to choose whether or not to show kindness and assistance to me. I was at the mercy of others. This woman could have easily chosen to turn away and pretend like she didn’t know me. She could have done nothing. Instead, she probably took great risks given her culture and chose to help me. Her seizing an opportunity blessed me. The dream easily could have ended with me being set free, Instead, it closed with this reveal of sorts that showed how everything was all tied together in this amazing sequence of interactions. I still grapple with this question...If I made the choice to "look the other way" in one of the earlier scenarios, would I have been released in the end? Perhaps there will be a sequel!
I have had my share of nightmares, but some of the most powerful dreams I have had, have been those who reveal something to me about myself or those around me. I do a lot of processing in my sleep. I come up with my best solutions to problems and plan entire lessons for my class while sleeping. I have written full poems in my dreams. I have often said I think God uses my dreams to speak to me because it is the only time I am “still” enough to pay attention.
I am used to having an active dream life, but every once in a while, I have a dream that stays with me. I had such a dream last week that is still resonating in my mind. This dream was like a series of vignettes, each seemingly independent from another, that took place over a series of many years. In the first, I met a Russian boy who was new to my high school and was looking to make new friends. In another, I met up with a woman who needed some assistance with her daughter that had Down’s syndrome. A third scenario had me visiting someone in the hospital and coming across an African American nurse named Karniela(?) who was having an very hard time emotionally and needed some encouragement. There were about 3 more such scenarios, all with different people in different situations requiring either assistance or kindness.
In the final vignette of this dream, I was traveling overseas for some reason with a friend, and was in what appeared to be a Middle Eastern country. We were walking on a neighborhood street and, out of nowhere, soldiers or officers of some type appeared and arrested us. The street was full of people. As I was getting put into a vehicle to be taken into custody, I met eyes with a woman who appeared to recognize me. I could not see the rest of her as she was wearing a burka. My friend and I were taken to some kind of holding cell. I was sure that we were not ever going to be released and was bracing myself for what was going to happen to us. A while later, a man showed up and talked to the guards. We were immediately released into his custody. I was very confused. It was at this point that he began to tell me that it was his wife with whom I had locked eyes with and that she knew of me from a picture on a family member’s mantle. She had not only seen the picture but been told of a story of how I had impacted this family with a simple interaction years ago - it was a family from one of the early vignettes in the dream. And then, slowly it was revealed how all of the previous vignettes had led up to this moment. All of the people in the dream were connected in various ways. The nurse I met in the hospital had been a nurse who provided care for the child with Down’s syndrome. It went on and on. It was like this big reveal in flashback - like in Crash or the Sixth Sense.
When I woke up, I was a little overwhelmed. It was a huge dream and I was trying to take it all in. I really wanted to write it all down, but it was SO much (which is why the above is very much a “readers digest” version.) I have been kicking it around in my mind for about a week, trying to figure out what it all meant. It obviously wasn’t your standard dream; I am supposed to glean something from it. I do not think that the point was being nice to people because you may need to be bailed out some day. I think it was much deeper than that.
In each scenario, I was presented with a situation and had a choice in how to respond. I could show kindness and/or provide assistance or simply ignore the need. Now obviously, given that the dream spanned many years and I aged as it went, these weren’t the only interactions I would have had with people throughout that time span. These were, however, the ones that led up to my release.
What I have taken from this dream so far is that every interaction is an opportunity. With everyone I met, I have a choice to be self-centered and guarded or reach out. In life, we face situations like this every day. Do we offer a kind word if we notice a store cashier is sad? Do we even notice? Do we reach out to someone at the doctor’s office waiting room who appears upset or focus solely on our own ailments? Do we get outside of ourselves enough to take as many opportunities as possible to positively affect others’ lives?
In this dream,each scenario presented me with a choice. It is funny and ironic to me that in the last scenario, it was someone else who had to choose whether or not to show kindness and assistance to me. I was at the mercy of others. This woman could have easily chosen to turn away and pretend like she didn’t know me. She could have done nothing. Instead, she probably took great risks given her culture and chose to help me. Her seizing an opportunity blessed me. The dream easily could have ended with me being set free, Instead, it closed with this reveal of sorts that showed how everything was all tied together in this amazing sequence of interactions. I still grapple with this question...If I made the choice to "look the other way" in one of the earlier scenarios, would I have been released in the end? Perhaps there will be a sequel!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
'Tis Time to Chasse
Ah…square dancing…Did you partake in this as part of junior high gym class, too? The girls would line up on one side of the gym, the boys on the other, and we would take turns crossing the vast gym floor to ask someone of the opposite gender to dance. This is one of my most entertaining and horrifying memories. Nothing says let’s help these kids learn about potential (and actual) rejection now, like the square dance.
Now, you couldn’t actually say “no” if someone asked you to dance. But we all know there is more than one way to reject someone…an eye roll, a disgusted glance, a shudder, a side comment to a friend…I could go on. It’s not any actual rejection that I remember receiving that cements this memory in my mind. Instead, what I recall most vividly is the moment right before we had to “put ourselves out there” and walk across the floor. I was fine watching others do it – I was even very supportive of my friends. I was also fine having someone come to me. But when it was my turn to step forward and take the risk, it was, well, nauseating.
For as bold as I am, part of me remains the 7th grader who wants to stay on the comfy side of the gymnasium. I am very supportive of others and gladly participate in response to someone. When it comes to stepping out in vulnerability, I often stifle myself. If I am never the one to cross the gym floor, I can never really going to be subject to any form of rejection. It’s really that simple and that sad. Authentically expressing myself in a blog is like crossing the gym floor for me. I know that not everyone will agree or like things I have to say, but this is me. I step out on to the floor knowing full well that I may get an eye roll, a disgusted glance, a shudder, a side comment to a friend, or even a direct tongue lashing. So be it. I do not believe in letting fear guide my choices. Fear paralyzes and keeps us from truly becoming who we are called to be.
So I shall write whatever is on my mind – from the random to the meaningful. And while I hope my blog periodically makes you smile or think, I must be honest in saying it really is for me:). It is my self-made challenge to “chasse” across the floor and it starts right here.
For your enjoyment...
http://www.mrgym.com/DanceandRythmic/SquareDance.htm
Now, you couldn’t actually say “no” if someone asked you to dance. But we all know there is more than one way to reject someone…an eye roll, a disgusted glance, a shudder, a side comment to a friend…I could go on. It’s not any actual rejection that I remember receiving that cements this memory in my mind. Instead, what I recall most vividly is the moment right before we had to “put ourselves out there” and walk across the floor. I was fine watching others do it – I was even very supportive of my friends. I was also fine having someone come to me. But when it was my turn to step forward and take the risk, it was, well, nauseating.
For as bold as I am, part of me remains the 7th grader who wants to stay on the comfy side of the gymnasium. I am very supportive of others and gladly participate in response to someone. When it comes to stepping out in vulnerability, I often stifle myself. If I am never the one to cross the gym floor, I can never really going to be subject to any form of rejection. It’s really that simple and that sad. Authentically expressing myself in a blog is like crossing the gym floor for me. I know that not everyone will agree or like things I have to say, but this is me. I step out on to the floor knowing full well that I may get an eye roll, a disgusted glance, a shudder, a side comment to a friend, or even a direct tongue lashing. So be it. I do not believe in letting fear guide my choices. Fear paralyzes and keeps us from truly becoming who we are called to be.
So I shall write whatever is on my mind – from the random to the meaningful. And while I hope my blog periodically makes you smile or think, I must be honest in saying it really is for me:). It is my self-made challenge to “chasse” across the floor and it starts right here.
For your enjoyment...
http://www.mrgym.com/DanceandRythmic/SquareDance.htm
Friday, January 1, 2010
Just Dance...
"I hope you dance" - These are the words found above my daughter's door. This plaque was especially chosen for her by her daddy and I. I want her to dance every day of her life. It's what she was created to do. It is what we were all created to do.
When I look at my daughter, Natalie, I see the dancer I want to be when I grow up. She dances with abandon. She moves from a passion within. She dances HER dance - not one that is choreographed or set before her - it is all her own. It is pure and free. It is not driven by others. It is not inhibited. It is fully alive. Natalie dances from the song within her own heart and it is a beautiful sight to behold. The beauty comes not from some amazing talent, but instead, from her ability to dance boldly in who she is. At 6, she inspires me to dance freely and fully, embracing who I am and was created to be.
I want to dance like Natalie in all I do. I want to constantly move to the song that has been placed in my heart. I want to embrace each opportunity and live each day to the fullest. I want to dance freely in who I was created to be, not worrying about the audience reaction or critic reviews.
Maya Angelou once said, :"A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself ." This is how I want my dance to be. My dance is not a performance for others. My dance comes from an innate desire to be fully alive and surrender to rhythm of my Creator.
Whether I am dancing with joy or "dancing it out" to move through a difficult situation, I choose to dance each day. I may not always know the right steps or be on beat, but it is my desire to always be authentically me. In the words of that wise Ren McCormick, "This is our time to dance. It is our way of celebrating life. It's the way it was in the beginning. It's the way it's always been. It's the way it should be now."
When I look at my daughter, Natalie, I see the dancer I want to be when I grow up. She dances with abandon. She moves from a passion within. She dances HER dance - not one that is choreographed or set before her - it is all her own. It is pure and free. It is not driven by others. It is not inhibited. It is fully alive. Natalie dances from the song within her own heart and it is a beautiful sight to behold. The beauty comes not from some amazing talent, but instead, from her ability to dance boldly in who she is. At 6, she inspires me to dance freely and fully, embracing who I am and was created to be.
I want to dance like Natalie in all I do. I want to constantly move to the song that has been placed in my heart. I want to embrace each opportunity and live each day to the fullest. I want to dance freely in who I was created to be, not worrying about the audience reaction or critic reviews.
Maya Angelou once said, :"A woman in harmony with her spirit is like a river flowing. She goes where she will without pretense and arrives at her destination prepared to be herself and only herself ." This is how I want my dance to be. My dance is not a performance for others. My dance comes from an innate desire to be fully alive and surrender to rhythm of my Creator.
Whether I am dancing with joy or "dancing it out" to move through a difficult situation, I choose to dance each day. I may not always know the right steps or be on beat, but it is my desire to always be authentically me. In the words of that wise Ren McCormick, "This is our time to dance. It is our way of celebrating life. It's the way it was in the beginning. It's the way it's always been. It's the way it should be now."
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