the desiderata

We talked a lot about literacy today in one of my classes, and it wasn't until I was sitting here, about to finish this post that I realized just how important reading is to my life. In class we talked about how we love to read books or magazines or blogs or Twitter, and how being literate enables us to be functional in society by reading signs, directions, etc.. But there's another aspect of literacy that is a huge part of my life that I never considered, and that is finding your identity through other people's writing. For me this usually takes shape in the form of quotes and song lyrics, and I've also found it in prayers or poetry as well. For as long as I can remember, I've been looking for quotes or lyrics that express what I'm thinking or feeling in a much different way than I could portray it. I think everyone does this to a certain extent - it sort of validates what we believe in, and is encouraging to see other people expressing the same thoughts in a different way.

All of that just to say what I originally intended to post today - the Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. I'm not sure if you would call this a prayer or a poem or what, but I love it. It's one of my mom's favorite pieces of writing, and I know I've "read" it many times aroud my house before I sat down and actually read it. I've read it at different stages or important moments of my life, and gotten something new out of it each time. I reread again this weekend and remembered just how relevant it is. So I thought I'd share it with you :)

Let me know what your favorite part is!

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible without surrender

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,

even the dull and the ignorant;

they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,

they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,

you may become vain and bitter;

for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. 



Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs;

for the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

many persons strive for high ideals;

and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.

Especially, do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love;

for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment

it is as perennial as the grass. 



Take kindly the counsel of the years,

gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,

be gentle with yourself. 



You are a child of the universe,

no less than the trees and the stars;

you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. 


Therefore be at peace with God,

whatever you conceive Him to be,

and whatever your labors and aspirations,

in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. 



With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

day 360

I always see this sign at this Vietnamese restaurant that we go to, and it always makes me smile :) (which is a hard thing to do since I usually leave that place miserably full!)

day 212

I read this book on the recommendation of my friend Ashley - let's just say I owe her big time. I loved every second of this book and had trouble putting it down. It made me laugh out loud and cry all within the same 2 or 3 pages. I put a post-it note on any page where Esme made a great suggestion for my future classroom or whenever something she said really made me think. I almost ran out of post-it's by the time I was finished! You should definitely read this book!

Here's an excerpt from the last page, as Esme is watching her students graduate:

"People snicker, 'Those who can't do, teach.' But, oh, how right they are. I could never, ever do all I dream of doing. I could never, ever be an opera star, a baseball umpire, an earth scientist, an astronaut, a great lover, a great liar, a trapesze artisit, a dancer, a baker, a buddha, or a thousand other aspirations I have had, while having only been given one thin ticket in this lottery of life! In the recessional, as I watch them, mine, the ones I loved, I overflow with the joyous greed of a rich man counting coins. Wrongly I have thought teaching has lessened me at times, but now I experience a teacher's great euphoria, the knowledge like a drug that will keep me: thirty-one children. Thirty-one chances. Thirty-one futures, our futures."

day 198

Tonight Christine and I rented a movie from Redbox that I've been dying to see - Waiting for Superman. It's a documentary made about the public education system in America and it totally hit the nail on the head. It was a little depressing to see how obviously messed up our education system is right now, but at the same time it got me really fired up and excited to become a teacher. I can't wait to get out there and help fix these problems. You should definitely watch this movie - it was well worth the time (and the homework that I didn't do while watching it...)

day 187

Today I had lunch with someone who has faced challenges in his life that I can't imagine ever having to deal with. I've only known him for a short time, but I can already tell that he is also one of the most positive people I've ever met. It's clear that he chooses to appreciate everything that he does have, instead of doing what so many other people would do and focus on all of the challenges and hardships. I don't know about you, but I could definitely do a little more of that in my life.

He actually used the phrase, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade," at lunch, and I couldn't help but think about how fitting that was for the way he lives his life. I didn't take a picture at lunch, so this will have to do :)

day 51

The way my schedule works out, I have to pack a lunch for myself 4 out of 5 days a week. Today's picture? My lunch bag :) It's actually a shopping bag from a supercute store called lululemon, but I turned it into my lunch box.

It has all of these cute quotes and thoughts all over it...some of them you can read in the picture, but let me tell you some of my other favorites!

"the conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. choose a positive thought!"

"the pursuit of happiness is the source of all unhappiness"

"stress is related to 99% of all illness"

"that which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least"

day 36

On Mondays I have an Honors Education Seminar from 4:15 - 6:15, and I'm obsessed with it. We talk about educational policy, which has pretty much turned into research and an ongoing conversation about what's going on in the world of Education today. Every time I leave that class I feel so sure that I picked the right career. I feel proud of my choice, I feel discouraged by everything that's working against the education system, I feel inspired and hopeful that I can make a difference. (That's a lot of feelings for 2 hours...)

Today we had a speaker - the superintendent of PG County School System. He gave us so much valuable information and gave us a printed version of his PowerPoint, so my notes (above) are just snippets of things he said that really struck me. Here's what a few of them say, in case you can't see.

"WHAT IF... every student was told it was their role to prepare him or herself for college, and every school adopted this as their vision?"

"teaching does not equal students learning"

" low performing doesn't equal low ability"

"kids don't care that you know until they know that you care"