The power of one to the nth degree
Today I attended the graduation ceremony of my grand niece Samantha Pickett at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colorado
In many respects the ceremony was the same one which has been repeated this month at many schools in the United States. It would seem, however, that the staff of this school, working with families and the larger community does a particularly good job of inspiring and insuring excellence academically and in terms of character. It is in the top 5% of high schools in the United States.
I have no way of knowing the combination of factors which come together to help a large percentage of the students to reach this level of excellence. I do know that my niece and her brother are blessed in many respects including:
Parents, extended family, mentors including teachers such as Ms. Forbes the commencement speaker who obviously loves the students under her care, gives them practical tips for doing their best, and is loved in return, make a huge difference. I suspect that there are other teachers who do the same although I know that not every teacher has the special gifts which Ms. Forbes seems to have. My niece confirmed that my admiration of Ms. Forbes was well deserved.
I am again reminded that all of us need others who believe in us and who challenges us to be our best. I am 77 years old and I still want and need mentors who tickle my mind and my heart. I have been blessed to have always had such people in my life. Today, those mentors are such people as my nephew, Wendell and his wife Toni as well as their two children, Austin and Samantha, Wendell’s and Toni’s parents, and many others in the extended family.
Often, it is also my clients who are my mentors. They demonstrate courage, strength, patience and much more. I do not often wonder why the clients for whom I am privileged to work struggle. I do marvel at the strength and courage it takes to ask for help and to work at living the serenity prayer. Additionally, I have colleagues and others who challenge me to be my best while supporting me in my most inept, fumbling moments.
Today, I am again reminded of the six degrees of separation. Ms. Forbes touched the lives of many. Those she touched will touch other lives and they, in turn, will touch the lives of many others. Samantha and Austin have been touched often by love and have played that love forward. Many of those have then played that love forward. One person – just one of us – can start that chain of action and reaction which will start a revolution.
I am not convinced that all the threats, name callings, bullets and bombs will stop those we are labeling as terrorists, bad or evil people or other such labels. I do think that we can offer an alternative way of living which includes unconditional love, insuring that everyone knows that they have gifts we want and need, and insuring that no one goes to bed hungry, without heat and the means to care for themselves and their families. This could be an attractive alternative to all forms of violence.
Young people such a Samantha Austin, some of their cousins and many other young people need to both prepare for leadership roles and to continue to be the ones who challenge us to be our best. They stand ready to be our mentors.
I am reminded of a conversation in the play A Raisin in the Sun. In my memory, there is a scene in this play when a character states that there comes a time when it is time for the elders to step aside and embrace the leadership of the younger generation. I know I am not paraphrasing this well, but I do believe we have to be open to the fresh approach of the young who have accepted the challenge to look with new eyes, hear with new ears, and open with fresh hearts to the world in which they find themselves.
As I type this I am also acutely aware that when I speak of the young that this is not always a stage of life reflected by chronological age. There are those who are chronologically young who see with the same old eyes, hear with the same limitations as their elders, and whose hearts are closed. There are who are chronologically older who see with fresh eyes, hear with new ears, and whose hearts are open to new possibilities.
Today I am reminded that it will be young people (in all the ways I described above) such as Samantha, Austin and their cousins (and partners of cousins) and some with a slower gait and gray hair who will accept that challenge and who challenge the rest of us.
We are blessed. We can be a blessing.
Written May 27, 2017
Today I attended the graduation ceremony of my grand niece Samantha Pickett at Silver Creek High School in Longmont, Colorado
In many respects the ceremony was the same one which has been repeated this month at many schools in the United States. It would seem, however, that the staff of this school, working with families and the larger community does a particularly good job of inspiring and insuring excellence academically and in terms of character. It is in the top 5% of high schools in the United States.
I have no way of knowing the combination of factors which come together to help a large percentage of the students to reach this level of excellence. I do know that my niece and her brother are blessed in many respects including:
- Having many gifts and talents by virtue of genetics and luck.
- Having the spiritual, mental and emotional health to accept the challenge to do their best.
- Having two parents who have put family first and challenge each other to be their best.
- Having a family who is able to provide, food, clothing, and many extras.
- Having grandparents, uncles and other family who support them 150%
- Having access to teachers who often give 150% and trust that the young people under their care are capable of giving 150%.
Parents, extended family, mentors including teachers such as Ms. Forbes the commencement speaker who obviously loves the students under her care, gives them practical tips for doing their best, and is loved in return, make a huge difference. I suspect that there are other teachers who do the same although I know that not every teacher has the special gifts which Ms. Forbes seems to have. My niece confirmed that my admiration of Ms. Forbes was well deserved.
I am again reminded that all of us need others who believe in us and who challenges us to be our best. I am 77 years old and I still want and need mentors who tickle my mind and my heart. I have been blessed to have always had such people in my life. Today, those mentors are such people as my nephew, Wendell and his wife Toni as well as their two children, Austin and Samantha, Wendell’s and Toni’s parents, and many others in the extended family.
Often, it is also my clients who are my mentors. They demonstrate courage, strength, patience and much more. I do not often wonder why the clients for whom I am privileged to work struggle. I do marvel at the strength and courage it takes to ask for help and to work at living the serenity prayer. Additionally, I have colleagues and others who challenge me to be my best while supporting me in my most inept, fumbling moments.
Today, I am again reminded of the six degrees of separation. Ms. Forbes touched the lives of many. Those she touched will touch other lives and they, in turn, will touch the lives of many others. Samantha and Austin have been touched often by love and have played that love forward. Many of those have then played that love forward. One person – just one of us – can start that chain of action and reaction which will start a revolution.
I am not convinced that all the threats, name callings, bullets and bombs will stop those we are labeling as terrorists, bad or evil people or other such labels. I do think that we can offer an alternative way of living which includes unconditional love, insuring that everyone knows that they have gifts we want and need, and insuring that no one goes to bed hungry, without heat and the means to care for themselves and their families. This could be an attractive alternative to all forms of violence.
Young people such a Samantha Austin, some of their cousins and many other young people need to both prepare for leadership roles and to continue to be the ones who challenge us to be our best. They stand ready to be our mentors.
I am reminded of a conversation in the play A Raisin in the Sun. In my memory, there is a scene in this play when a character states that there comes a time when it is time for the elders to step aside and embrace the leadership of the younger generation. I know I am not paraphrasing this well, but I do believe we have to be open to the fresh approach of the young who have accepted the challenge to look with new eyes, hear with new ears, and open with fresh hearts to the world in which they find themselves.
As I type this I am also acutely aware that when I speak of the young that this is not always a stage of life reflected by chronological age. There are those who are chronologically young who see with the same old eyes, hear with the same limitations as their elders, and whose hearts are closed. There are who are chronologically older who see with fresh eyes, hear with new ears, and whose hearts are open to new possibilities.
Today I am reminded that it will be young people (in all the ways I described above) such as Samantha, Austin and their cousins (and partners of cousins) and some with a slower gait and gray hair who will accept that challenge and who challenge the rest of us.
We are blessed. We can be a blessing.
Written May 27, 2017
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