2007-08-14

Loyal Truth, Passionate Laughter

Be loyal to what you love, be true to the earth, fight your enemies with passion and laughter.

- Edward Abbey

Yesterday was the first day back for teachers. I've only had one week of "summer" with my masters classes and wasn't looking forward to starting back to "work". I was tired, giving my time during the day to the kids, and staying up until dawn giving time to research and writing. A friend and I took our children to the Nickelodeon Hotel for Bella's birthday and an end-of-summer bash, and I think I slept by the pool for 20 minutes. I was still well-tired from my summer when I left for Monday's morning meeting.

I only packed two things in my car: a framed portrait of Martin Luther King delivering his "I Have a Dream" speech, and the transfer papers for my daughter to attend Kindergarten at my school.

After the meeting I went up to my room. Before I knew it, I was feeling inspired all over again. I was looking at my new portrait resting against the wall in an empty room, and realizing that MLK didn't have a hope, or a really-really-really strong wish. He had a PASSION! And it was a passion for what he felt was the TRUTH for the people he LOVED!

He was also willing to fight his enemies TO THE DEATH in order to make it come true. And he did, both die and make his dream come true. And just as some might say blacks still aren't really equal, I would say Martin Luther King isn't really dead, inspiring new dreamers and leaders to continue the fight and more completely fulfill the dream. I see him in my room, and hear him speak his words. I'd say he's very much alive, at least in me and in room 208 at Sand Lake Elementary.

It's amazing how our lives are led by our vision; what we can "see" and "hear" as possible and real.

As I closed my door at the end of the day, I remember how just one year ago I used to "see" my own passion, truth and love just made me foolish and invaluable in today's world. I used to hear how others doubted and questioned my sincerity. But it was who and what I was and all I knew how to be. And if I was to die a fool, so be it. I would live and die as a Don Quixote, fighting imaginary windmills and believing in the beauty of Dolcineas. Now I realize it is the main reason miracles are produced every year in my classroom.

As I got to the stairs I realized it has also produced miracles in my life. I had an image of Sofia greeting me; seeing her smile and hearing her laughter, as I really will be in just a week. I felt rewarded for never letting the pain of not living with my children be too great to stop me from showing my children the great love I had for them.

And now they'll all be there, and it will be the greatest year of my life.

Be PASSIONATELY LOYAL in the fight for the TRUTH inside of you. And fight as if your life depended on it.....because IT DOES. That is, if you want to really live, and even live forever!

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