Lessons From Geese

Fall is perhaps my favorite of the seasons.  The air changes.  Sweatshirts and jeans replace t-shirts and shorts.  The world is enhanced by the rust, the red, and the gold of trees changing from their usual green.  Leaves float from above to the ground below.  There is peace, quiet, stillness.  The sounds of fall are familiar to us.  The crunch of leaves on the ground as we walk.  The honk of geese overhead as they fly south to escape the cold.

The next time you see geese flying overhead, stop what you’re doing and look up.  (Actually, stopping to look up is a good thing, geese or not, but that is for a future post.)  You’ll see the familiar ‘flying V’ formation.  But take the time to really watch and listen.

First of all, you’ll hear the familiar ‘honk’ of the geese.  Did you know that the ‘honk’ comes from the geese behind the leader and it is a call of encouragement to the leader at the point of the v?  Geese recognize the need to encourage and support one another.  They do this naturally, almost spontaneously.  When the lead goose gets tired, he or she falls back and another takes its place at the point.  Geese recognize that one leader isn’t enough, especially if the journey is long.  It takes more than one or two to lead and as they fly along honking their support of one another, they take turns leading.  They just seem to know.  They don’t ask for help or support.  They just seem to give it naturally.  When one of the geese is sick or injured, it drops to the ground.  But remarkably, it is never by itself.  The sick or injured goose is joined by two others who will stay with it until it is healthy and can fly again.  When it is ready, the three join another flying v and take off.  Geese seem to know when they need to help, to protect, and they naturally care for one another.  And, they don’t ask for permission to join another group flying in the v formation.  They join in and are accepted.  As they fly along in this new v formation, they take up a honk of encouragement and take turns at the point.  They just seem to know.  They accept and are accepted.  They encourage.  They protect and care for one another.  They take turns leading when one is tired.

Simple, unsophisticated creatures geese are.  I suppose you can argue that they aren’t very intelligent.  I mean, they can’t construct bridges or buildings, solve equations, or come up with magical cures for disease or illness.  They can’t repair power lines when they’re down or install cable TV to homes.  They can’t drive a car or work a computer.

But . . .

It doesn’t take a scientist to understand the simplicity and beauty of geese, to marvel at their instinct, at what comes natural to them.  Their understanding that it takes more than one to lead.  Their understanding of the importance of encouragement.  Their care and compassion for a sick or injured brother or sister.  And, their willingness to join in and the acceptance they are shown by their brethren.

Perhaps we can learn from geese.  Perhaps we should learn from geese.  In our homes.  In our place of work.  With each other.  Honk if you agree.  (a smile)  Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

Exploration

I’ve come to the conclusion there are three groups of people when it comes to exploration.  There are those folks who go where there is no trail and build one.  Lewis (no relation) and Clark, and Marquette and Joliet come to mind.  They walked, canoed, climbed and hiked where no one had gone before.  Guts, determination, stamina, perseverance, perhaps a bit of crazy.  You name it, they had it.  Thanks to them, our early settlers had a map or at least a direction to use as a starting point, a reference. History calls them Trailblazers.

The second group, Settlers, waited until those trailblazers established a route to travel, a path, a direction.  They followed behind.  While you would think their way was simpler, easier, in many cases it wasn’t.  Ever tried to cross a raging river on horseback?  Climb a mountain with a wagon?  Get snowed in on a mountain pass and run out of food or water or shelter?  Nonetheless, their path was made easier by the Trailblazers who went before them.  These folks settled and built houses, roads, and factories in lands that were previously uninhabited.

The third group was happy to stay put.  They lived in Boston, or New York, or Connecticut, or Philadelphia, or . . . and didn’t see the need to leave.  They were content, happy, satisfied.  Occasionally they might visit someplace new and different, but in the end, they returned home. They were content, at peace with themselves.  They might have called the folks in the first two groups crazy.

I’ve always had a bit of wanderlust in me.  I’ve lived and worked in five states.  As long as I had a job, I was able to see the country and learn other lifestyles, meet fabulous people.  Along the way, I drove a wheat truck, helped with rounding up and branding of cattle.  I worked in small private schools, small rural schools, small and large urban schools.  You could say that I received a taste of life that I might not have experienced had I stayed put in one place.

Exploration.  To me, it means more than just travel and a job.  It implies that one is open to change, to differences, to accepting uniqueness in individuals and groups.  And if you are open, you are susceptible to risk: hurt, disappointment, sorrow.  But also joy, peace, love, friendship.

Leo Buscaglia said, “Risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.”

I think Trailblazers and the Settlers took that statement to heart and lived it.  Many of us still live it.  Living life brings risk.  But in that risk, there is the awesome opportunity for joy, for friendship, for love, for peace and contentment.  For learning, for accepting and acceptance, for tolerance.

How can you extend yourself today?  What might you be willing to do to take that first step in Exploration?  You don’t know what’s on the other side of that mountain until you climb it and look over the ledge.  Who knows, you might like the view.  Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

Choose To Go From Here

This past weekend, I watched a very moving and terrific movie with my family, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower.  I can tell it did a number on me because I keep coming back to the characters and the plotline. 

There was a line from that movie that hit me: “We cannot choose from where we come from, but we can choose where we go from here”.  A lot is said in that one line and if you’re open to it, it can mean several different things to whoever reads it.

In previous posts, I talked about my life growing up.  I came from an emotionally abusive home.  Were it not for my dad and my sisters and brothers . . .  We were there for each other.  We cared about one another.  When one hurt, there was someone to help treat the emotional wounds, to encourage, to help, to hold, to soften and temper the hurt.  It was tough, but we made it.

I also wouldn’t have traded that life for any other.  It made me who I am.  I think that’s why I gravitated to psychology and the behavioral sciences, teaching, and coaching and eventually, counseling.  I think that’s why as an administrator, I spend so much time and capital on relationships. 

But I’ve also moved on.  I’m not the same scared and scarred little boy I once was.  I might carry the scars with me, but they remind me of where I’ve come from, how much I’ve grown, and just as importantly, remind me to try and deal with people- whomever they are- respectfully with care and compassion and kindness.

“We cannot choose from where we come from, but we can choose where we go from here.”

That’s a powerful statement, an uplifting statement, and a statement of hope.  You see, we do have a choice.  We don’t need to continue to do things as we have always done them.  We don’t need to treat people as we’ve always treated them.  And, we don’t need to be treated as we’ve always been treated.  We can choose to be kind.  We can choose to be compassionate.  We can choose to care.  We can step out of an abusive relationship because we don’t need to be abused.  We deserve more.  Really!

Remembering where we came from will guide us to where we want to go.  It is a choice either way.  We can stay where we’ve been or we can Choose Where To Go From Here!   

Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

Charlie

Charlie is a troubled teen suffering from blackouts and carrying a secret.  His middle school years were difficult at best and his freshman year in high school gets off to a rocky start.  He eats alone in the cafeteria, walks the hallways anonymously, and is in general, ignored.  Finally, he’s befriended by a teacher who sees potential in him and feeds Charlie’s passion for books, literature and writing.  He’s finally accepted by two seniors, Patrick and Sam, and Charlie confesses to them, “I didn’t think anyone noticed me.”

To say that Charlie is a fictional character from the movie, The Perks Of Being A Wallflower based upon a book written by Stephen Chbosky would be fooling myself and lying to you.  Charlie is much more than that. 

I’ve been in education for 37 years and I’ve seen, watched and spoken to many Charlies over the years.  While The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a work of fiction, kids like Charlie walk the hallways of any school in any city anywhere. 

I’m thinking of a young man in particular.  “Jeff” (not his real name) walks three laps each morning by himself.  By that I mean, he makes a circuit from first floor, to second floor and back to first each morning, every morning, always walking past me before he heads up the stairs.  He’s by himself.  Always.  In fact, I’ve never seen him walking or talking with any other students since September when the school year began.  It took him six months to smile at me and say hello.  As hard as I try to engage him in conversation, he resorts to one or two word answers.  He’s pleasant enough.  Dresses like the rest of the kids do.  Nothing extraordinary about him, other than the fact that he is alone.

And, if these kids are walking hallways in a school, these same kids are sitting at your dinner tables, watching TV alongside you at night, sitting in their rooms doing homework, playing video games, texting and listening to music.  They’re sleeping in their bedrooms each night only to get up each morning and do what they always do- walk the hallways of a school once again.  Push play, repeat, play, repeat . . .

This past month, we sponsored what is called Challenge Day for our students. Students spend a day with adult volunteers and two facilitators who help kids understand they aren’t alone, unique, odd or different.  They help kids come to realize that each of us- adults included- have fears, worries, challenges, good days and bad days.  The stories these kids and adults share bring even the most hardened of hearts to mush.  There are tears.  There is laughter.  Mostly, there is understanding and acceptance and tolerance.  Above all, acceptance and tolerance.

There are kids like Charlie all over.  Everywhere.  Some we know because we see them every day.  Some we know because they cut our lawn, wash our car, serve us fast food from the drive-through.  Some we know because they sit quietly, passively in our classroom, eat in our cafeteria.  Some we know because they are our own children.  Perhaps they are, were, us.  We know firsthand what they experience because we’ve been through it before them.  Perhaps we’re still going through it even now as adults.  Moving through our daily job, our daily tasks silently, quietly, passively.  Not wanting to be bothered.  Not wanting the spotlight.  Not wanting to be noticed.  But wanting to be bothered.  Wanting the spotlight and most importantly, wanting to be noticed.

Push Play.  Repeat.  Play.  Repeat.  Day after day.  Night after night.  Week after week.  Waiting for a kind word, a gentle touch, someone to notice us, to listen to us, to be with us.

Maybe it’s time to break that cycle.  Maybe it’s time to help our children, help ourselves.  Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!

Best He Had

The carol, Little Drummer Boy is not one of my favorite songs during the holiday season.  There are others I prefer to hear, but this past weekend, I was forced to take a closer look at it.  The song is about a little poor shepherd boy who wanted to give a gift to baby Jesus and His mother, Mary.  The shepherd boy had nothing but his drum.  He asked if he could play and as the song went, Mary smiled and nodded.  The little boy was pleased he could give something, even it if was as small and as insignificant as playing a drum, and Mary was pleased he gave what he could.  To the shepherd boy, it was The Best He Had and I’m sure he was proud of it.  It wasn't insignificant to him!

One week ago, I worked a fairly large job fair and was busy from the time it began to the very end.  Twenty-five minute interviews, one after another, rating each one according to the interview form before me.  Some did better than others.  Some were very nervous, some not at all.  The Best They Could.  At one point towards the end of the day and after one of our interviews was completed, I noticed one candidate leaving the interview area and I made the comment to my partner, “Would you think to come to an interview dressed like that?”  He wasn’t dressed horribly.  He didn’t wear jeans and a t-shirt.  He had on a pair of slacks, an older coat, and a shirt without a tie.  He carried papers with him, probably copies of his resume and cover letter, maybe other material in hopes of setting himself apart from the rest.  I just thought he could have dressed nicer.  Without a pause or hesitation, my partner answered, “Maybe it was the Best He Had.”  I was absolutely ashamed.  One week later, I still feel ashamed.  I judged rashly, poorly, and the only basis of judgment was the way he was dressed.  How very small of me.  In my postings, I call on each of us, me included, to do better for each other and for ourselves.  I didn’t live up to that call.  I failed miserably.

How often do we look at a person from the outside rather than from within?  I had to have someone remind me, gently, that people do The Best They Can and often times, give The Best They Have.  The poor shepherd boy gave the Best Gift He Could and it was accepted with a smile and a nod.  The man at the interview came in the Best He Had.  Who am I to judge?  Am I that small that I looked at him and made a decision of “less than” based upon what he was wearing?  I wonder how many times I’ve been judged in the same way – rashly.  I think we all have and each of us knows how it feels. It hurts.  We’re bewildered because we did the Best We Could.

I still feel ashamed.  I know better.  But as I stated in a previous post (If I Coulda-Woulda-Shoulda), I’ll chalk this up to a mistake, learn from it, and move on.  I – we – have to learn from this.  We can’t afford not to.  Judgment hurts too many people, including ourselves.  I have to do better.  We have to do better.

Best He Had.  Something to think about . . .

Live Your Life, and Make A Difference!