Practice Laughter and Love

I came across these pictures while looking for some to include with the "Winners Learn to Like Themselves Through Practice" post I was doing on my students' web page.

All three of these girls are among the best in the nation, and perhaps the world, in at least one area. After seeing the pictures of this "Dream Team", Three Musketeers, Tres Amigos, etc.......three words began to sound off in my head as to how they got this way:

"Practice", "Laughter" and "Love."

While pouring a cup of coffee with this chanting still in my head, I realized this was the reason for their remarkable success. As I drank to this epiphany, the words began changing order. They went from:





PRACTICE











LAUGHTER







LOVE








to






LOVE PRACTICE











PRACTICE LOVE






LOVE LAUGHTER








and when things don't work out






PRACTICE LAUGHTER








LAUGH LOVINGLY








LOVINGLY PRACTICE


*just rinse and repeat as necessary, UNTIL the desired results are reached. This simple formula works whether you're a child or adult, between children and adults, children, and adults.


And most importantly, it works with ourselves. We are humans "being". This takes practice. Nature has evolved through 4.6 billion years of practice. It must have laughed at some of the things it's created. And it certainly must have loved so many of the beautiful things it's loved and laughed into existence through practice.

We, "(wo)man", are universal babies, barely 3.6 million years old. We owe it to ourselves to never give up on who we are, and who we are capable of becoming.

We are all so much more than we give ourselves credit for. What race, sex, religion, nationality we are and income we have has nothing to do with our capabilities. I've personally seen this (or maybe personally seen to it) happen in every type of classroom among every type of student.

We are more than the macroscopic physiology of our looks and the materialistic pursuit of our neighbor's acceptance. We are the spirit that lives inside each and every one of our cells, our atoms, and our nuclei.

So let's practice laughter and love with each other, and most importantly, with ourselves. Our evolution requires it. We don't evolve through hate or victimization. We grow through practice, or struggle. And there's no better way to do this than with the water of laughter and the sunshine of love.

Impossible growth IS possible, miraculous results ARE achievable, and the human species making the world a better place IS attainable.


WE CAN DO IT!


WE ARE DOING IT!

"...You are here....Life exists...Let the powerful play go on that you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"
- from Dead Poets Society (you can see Robin Williams' photo in the LAUGHTER and PRACTICE pictures, which he signed, "To Mr. Stuart's class, DREAM BIG!", using a photo from the movie. I'd say he is contributing a GREAT verse to our play. Thank you, Robin!

I Believe In You

I originally wrote this for my students. As I was writing it I felt my own words resonate within me. I realized the message applies to us all. No matter what our age, we all are students learning, growing, evolving. If we're not, we're simply waiting to die.

I for one am not waiting for death to take me. I am living as fully as possible as completely as possible, and a good death will find me having lived while I was alive.

Click on the link to go to their site, Stuart's Spectacular Students, and read any responses from the students we may get. Search other posts there and read some of their comments at the bottom.

Often, our children who haven't forgotten "The Secret" to life, who haven't learned to doubt themselves and be afraid of failure, give us the courage to remember, and to believe in ourselves again after our own failures.

I know that as long as I teach, I will never allow a student to doubt themselves or fear failure. Once we humans do, it becomes a life-and-death struggle to overcome if we want to feel completely alive and fully free again.


104 years ago today the Ford Motor Company was created by Henry Ford and 11 associate investors. Ford cars are everywhere, a reality today that didn't exist just 100 short years ago. You were not a reality just 10-11 short years ago.

Now you are. You are here. There has never been another you. There never will be another you.

You are very special, and very magnificent. I saw this confirmed and learned this past year in your eyes and actions and test results (boy do I miss you guys as I'm remembering seeing this).

What special and magnificent things will you do with your lives? You are capable of incredible things. One way to gain insight and inspiration into how to make this happen is to study those who have already done it. Henry Ford might be one of these people for you.

Henry Ford.
Ford Motor Company

born July 30, 1863, Wayne county, Mich., U.S.
died April 7, 1947, Dearborn, Mich.

(I included the state where he was born mainly for Malcolm and Dallas, as much as it hurt me to do this :-)

He was an American industrialist who revolutionized factory production with his assembly-line methods.

Ford spent most of his life making headlines, good, bad, but never indifferent. Celebrated as both a technological genius and a folk hero, Ford was the creative force behind an industry of unprecedented size and wealth.

Remember, find those who have what you want, do what they did, and you'll get what they got.

I miss and love you all, not just for who you already are, but for who you are in the process of becoming. Never give up on yourself. Never shrink from a challenge to become more.

Never, never, become less.

You are a special gift to this world. Develop your highest self and give the gift of yourself, your unique talents and genius to the world, and make it an even better place than it already is!

When do you do it? Today. You do it every today by believing you can.

I believe in you, today, and every today.

Mr. Stuart

Your teacher whenever you still need me.