A Cherokee elder was teaching his children about life. He said to them, "A terrible fight is going on inside me. It is a fight between two wolves. One is the wolf of joy, love, hope, kindness and compassion. The other is the wolf of fear, anger, cynicism, indifference and greed. The same fight is going on inside of you and every other person too." The children thought about it for a moment, and then one child asked, "Which wolf will win?"
The elder replied, "Whichever one you feed."
Showing posts with label in-between. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in-between. Show all posts
7.20.2011
6.25.2011
Friday!
Whew, well, I made it through week one. Only five more weeks to go! My days certainly improved from my last post, that's for sure. I ended up with a really great and creative group of kids - and it's funny to see how much I drew from my own classes from SCU. I guess I did learn something after all...
My feet hurt from standing all the time, and my brain hurts from the constant creativity I have to produce. Getting these kids to think outside the box is an entirely different kind of challenge. I don't always know what levels they are starting at, and if anybody has ever taught them how to do some of the things I'm asking of them. What I really like is how much I can work with students individually since my classroom is so small. I'm able to evaluate them individually and be able to have them all work independently. They all loved to write so much - I could have them sit and write and work on projects for 45 minutes at a time, and they'd love it. I get to plan my lessons for the next day while they're working, so I love it too!
And now -- my first weekend! Friday night and I am up until 3am, mostly because I don't have to wake up tomorrow morning super early. My friend Christine and I went out to celebrate the passing of gay marriage in New York to the LGBT club downtown. We had a pretty fun time, though we were some of the youngest ones there, which I thought was weird. Perhaps everyone is already up in SF for Pride weekend!
It seems like life is settling into a routine, at least for a few weeks. Then, up and out! Moving on to the rainy land up North. I went shopping today and got very excited about winter clothing, though, so hopefully I can dress for success :)
My feet hurt from standing all the time, and my brain hurts from the constant creativity I have to produce. Getting these kids to think outside the box is an entirely different kind of challenge. I don't always know what levels they are starting at, and if anybody has ever taught them how to do some of the things I'm asking of them. What I really like is how much I can work with students individually since my classroom is so small. I'm able to evaluate them individually and be able to have them all work independently. They all loved to write so much - I could have them sit and write and work on projects for 45 minutes at a time, and they'd love it. I get to plan my lessons for the next day while they're working, so I love it too!
And now -- my first weekend! Friday night and I am up until 3am, mostly because I don't have to wake up tomorrow morning super early. My friend Christine and I went out to celebrate the passing of gay marriage in New York to the LGBT club downtown. We had a pretty fun time, though we were some of the youngest ones there, which I thought was weird. Perhaps everyone is already up in SF for Pride weekend!
It seems like life is settling into a routine, at least for a few weeks. Then, up and out! Moving on to the rainy land up North. I went shopping today and got very excited about winter clothing, though, so hopefully I can dress for success :)
6.17.2011
Transatlanticism
I'm writing again. I say this so strongly because I realize now that my life is changing, that everything is transient, and all of those people that I took for granted are suddenly moving, crossing airways and freeways, continents and oceans. We will soon all be worlds away, and therefore, I write -- to keep in touch, to keep updated, and to recognize that sometimes phone calls don't happen as often as they ought.
I'm saying goodbye to a lot of people and places. Today held a lot of endings for me, and I don't know when I will see a lot of these people again. I think that's a necessary evil; every beginning is also an ending, in a way. That doesn't mean it isn't sad. I have a photo print of Pike's Market I bought last year hanging next to my bed and I look at it every evening, hardly daring to think "I will live there soon". And - no regrets. The decision is made. I'm going.
Ahh, transition. That terrifying whisper of "change" echoes throughout my life currently, in almost every way imaginable. I live in the In-Between. I wait, sometimes more patiently than others, but waiting nevertheless, waiting for life to please, please begin. Or to please, please, slow down. The Bell Jar got it right when it says that insanity is wanting two mutually exclusive things at once. Two months is an awfully long, yet short, time. How can one want to leave, yet want to stay so badly?
And so? I write. I write because I must, because there is nothing else, because words are tethers holding us to life.
Still, the world turns on.
 |
| Graduation. A fairly accurate representation of the wackiness of my department. |
Ahh, transition. That terrifying whisper of "change" echoes throughout my life currently, in almost every way imaginable. I live in the In-Between. I wait, sometimes more patiently than others, but waiting nevertheless, waiting for life to please, please begin. Or to please, please, slow down. The Bell Jar got it right when it says that insanity is wanting two mutually exclusive things at once. Two months is an awfully long, yet short, time. How can one want to leave, yet want to stay so badly?
And so? I write. I write because I must, because there is nothing else, because words are tethers holding us to life.
Still, the world turns on.
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