Love Your Family

To say this has been an emotional week would be a complete understatement. Perhaps this is why the Florida school shooting is hitting me so deeply. Being in the schools, everyday, seeing the kids, being so angry about why this is happening more and more and seeing their collective faces, knowing what that terror could do can be really hard sometimes. Running through intruder drills with the kids, preparing them for action "just in case", feels simultaneously disgusting and nerve-wracking and confusing. But every time... every single time an attack on our schools or on our people in other mass quantities occurs, we, as a nation, stand in shock. In confusion. In anger. In fear. Then we turn political. Guys. This isn’t about politics. It’s not about laws. It’s about our flaws as a SOCIETY. We are the most disconnected, untrusting and isolated people. Social media has left us with instant and false perceptions of connection. It’s a breeding ground for insecurity and decreased self worth. It’s a lie about connection. Connection is getting TOGETHER tangibly. Loving people wholeheartedly. And showing up for people without judgment, preparing to listen with the intent to understand. To connect with other people through empathy.

We are a society that places a high value on standards and being average. On pointing out ways that we fail as students and teachers when we aren’t seen as average. What if we just celebrated people for WHO they ARE. Encourage growth in one another’s passions and gifts and let go of the ways we aren’t meeting standards. What if we did everything in our power to love people without judgment. Without assumptions. What if we did everything in our power to SEE people?? What if we became intentional about cutting back on the busy. Focus on the simple and peaceful and loving and knowing our kids? What if our kids learned by this example? If they learned how to identify and love and connect with the isolated instead of fearing and jeering them? What if they learned that it isn't "tattling" or criticism or hatred to want students to receive help who very clearly NEED it, that this is not about comfort or fear; it's an absolute necessity for caring for and loving one another. What if we started paying more attention to the impacts of violent video games and movies on our children’s developing minds?

I’ll quietly step off my soapbox now. I just believe that discourse and politics aren’t the only ones responsible for changing this stuff. It’s not finger pointing and blame. Each and every one of us are capable and responsible too. Mother Teresa said it best when she said, “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family” We must get this right.