Learn. Forgive. Breathe. Create. Share.

I totally forgot to write my Saturday blogpost.  I'm going to blame the puzzle.  This post is for me and anyone who needs a little encouragement.  

Learn
We are a learners.  We are rivers. Flowing over what we learn, taking some things with us and leaving other things behind.  We will slow down at times to soak things up and reflect.  Other times we will go at a rapid rate and not have time to ponder.  No matter.  All of our learning matters, even when we forget.  

Photo by Tom Gainor on Unsplash

Forgive
We must be as forgiving of ourselves as we are of the people in our lives.  Every now and again letting things be good enough.  Everyday forgiving ourselves for not meeting our incredibly high expectations.  Know that all the million of tiny things we do in a DO day matter.  Our students may not remember most of their year with us.   But we are pouring our hearts, love, energy, knowledge, guidance, and spirit into them.  Our students are rivers, too.  We are part of the rain that makes them who they are becoming.  

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash

Breathe
Breathing is a literal and figurative word.  Taking time to take deep breaths will make us calmer and more focused.  Metaphorically breathing means taking things in. Pausing. Being where we are.  Telling us to allow ourselves to breathe sounds ridiculous.  But we do have permission to breathe.  To be.  To live in the moments.  We must breathe to be alive.  

Photo by Kyndall Ramirez on Unsplash

Create: to bring something into existence 
To create is to live.  Our students need to create and so do we.  What are we creating that excites us, drives us, gives us a sense of accomplishment?  It may not be what we think...sure we create killer lessons and memorable experiences and loving communities.  Yes, we create and share on Twitter.  But what about in other realms? 

This is not one more thing we must do.  It is one more thing we allow ourselves to do.   We are all creative souls.  We do and something comes of it.  Cooking.  Reading.  Playing.  Conversing.  Cleaning.  Painting.  Writing.  Walking.  Breathing.  We are always creating.  Our space. Our bodies.  Our minds.  Our hearts.  Sometimes we create quiet by doing nothing at all.  We are created to bring things into existence.  

Photo by Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash

Share
Sharing builds a strong web around us.  When we share our ideas on Twitter, in the teacher's lounge, or with our administration it feels like a risk.  But is it?  Hoarding ideas may be way more riskier.  We need to have an openness to receiving what others share as well.  To allow our pride to stop us from sharing is a small, sad thing.  When by put our ideas our there, they either come to life or turn back into dust.  Either way, we are better for bringing our ideas to life.  Hopefully others are, too.  So we must not fear what others will think.  We share and we encourage others to share as well.  And our web becomes not impenetrable, but stronger.   

And most of all, remember that we are in this mess together and there is no perfect way. 

We are in our own spaces; learning, forgiving, breathing, creating, and sharing. Each one of us needed just where we are.