half full or half empty?

On a day when Manitoba has another 84 positive tests for COVID-19 I'm alternately overwhelmed by the news and saddened by an announcement the virus has claimed more lives. I'm also looking forward to a weekend that is framed by being thankful. 

While the pandemic has negatively impacted many traditions and celebrations over the last few months, there is sill so much to be thankful for.  I've not written a list, but I do start each day reminding myself of what I have in my life that brings me peace, joy, contentment and for which I am truly grateful.  Some days it might be my health and that I have purposeful work.  On others it might be for a really great podcast, book, or movie.  On the weekends it is usually related to an awesome bottle of wine, a new trail explored, needed human connection, or some items removed from the 'to do' list. 

Today I am happy that I can sit in the sun that is coming through window and work happily and productively, that I can see endless blue sky, and that there is cheesecake in the fridge.

Have a great weekend. Hang out with the folks that make you smile and laugh and feel good about yourself.  Cultivate kindness.  

When asked if my cup is half full or half empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.  Source unknown.

It's October 1st.

It's October 1st.  Back-to-school 2020 is in the rearview mirror ish.   One month in and buses are running, learning is happening, and the rhythm of the year is almost (almost) predictable in pace, process, and practice.  Yes, there have been bumps, some tough conversations, and hard decisions.  Anyone who thought it would be smooth sailing is delusional.  The collective efforts of many to ensure student success is evident in so many ways.  It's about respectful conversations, being open to hearing you need to do better, celebrating even the small victories, and staying connected and engaged as a community.

It's October 1st. Yesterday was Orange Shirt Day- a time for all of us to pause and reflect on the unkindness's the human race still inflicts on its own.....on the cruelty, injustice, and complete lack of civility we bear witness to every. single. day.  It's also about steps of progress, acts of genuine kindness, and movements that call all of us to action in ways large and small. 

It's October 1st.   30 days until Halloween.  85 to  Christmas.  153 until my birthday (thought I'd sneak that in).  169 until the first day of spring.  

It's October 1st.  International Coffee Day and International Day for the Elderly.  Tomorrow is looking good too-  World Farm Animals Day and Custodial Worker Day (which, if you are a custodian in a school, should be every day IMHO).  

It's October 1st and that means wishing Jimmy Carter and Julie Andrews a happy birthday!!  Happy anniversary to Yosemite National Park which was established on this day in 1890. It's the day in 1932 that Babe Ruth pointed to center-field before hitting a home run and the day in 1962 when Barbra Streisand signed her first recording contract. 

It was on this day in 1986 when Robert Munsch published 'Love You Forever'.

It's October 1st. Be kind to yourself and to others. Revel in small joys and serendipitous findings.  Embrace the LOLs and tell someone how much you appreciate them.  

It's October 1st. 

When a stick is not a stick

It's likely a bit hard to see, however there is a very long and very skinny stick in this photo.  Even before it was picked up off the ground, it was clear it had seen better days; splinters at one end, and some bark missing in several spots.  I'm not sure what value it would normally serve removed from the tree it once belonged to- very spindly, weak, frail and kind of anemic looking.

In the hands of a five-year-old however, this stick found new life.  It started out as a magic wand. Very quickly it was transformed into a sword, protecting the warrior princess from fierce dragons.  Eventually, after an epic battle against the evil queen (that would have been me), victory was a rewarded with a significant amount of gold and jewels.   

So important was this stick to the brief time we had together, that it resides in the back of my car awaiting the next play date- or should I say imagination infused adventure? 

The warrior princess had her very first day of school this week. Not the typical five-year-old, at least in my opinion, this one is sure to bring a whole host of definitive thoughts and bold opinions to her kindergarten class.  She is all at once kind and caring, a bit saucy, and totally outrageous.  At the ripe old age of five she has a firm sense of who she is, clear expectations of just about everyone, and determination and stamina that knows no bounds.  She is captivating, delightful and highly entertaining. 

It's been a crazy couple of months.  Hanging out with this young miss has been both restorative and therapeutic.  There's nothing like channeling your inner child to be reminded of how something as simple as a stick can take you places you really need to go, even as an evil queen. 

It’s the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives. 

Fred Rogers

Am I a 'Good Ancestor'?

   In the interest of transparency, and for context, let me begin by saying that I retweeted this post without having first listened to the referenced podcast.  After all, if the supt makes a podcast recommendation (especially using the words 'future generations' and 'common good') I've learned it will be worth listening to.  And I'm a fan of Nahla Ayed, so there's that.

For additional context, let me also describe my week as being very long and tiring, not without some frustration, but also filled with reminders of what is good in my life. 

I share this to set the stage for a really wonderful ending to the day and the week, which was a long walk listening to a new podcast series called The Common Good, and the first episode titled The Good Ancestor.  

I figured if I was going endorse it with a RT I should listen to it straight away. You really need to listen to it too. 

In the end, I'm left wondering if the choices I've made and am making, the voices I am trying to engage, the priorities I've defined, the commitments I've made, the way I've encouraged my kids to move through life, the conversations I'm am choosing to be a part of, will leave my corner of the world better off for future generations.  Will I be remembered as an ancestor who had an impact, made a contribution, helped her community grow, flourish, and thrive?

Will we arrive at a point when our leaders consciously and consistently think seven generations ahead in all they do?  Will I live to see Canada with an equivalent to The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales?  When my kids hold their great-grandchild for the first time, will they do so knowing that child has the future they deserve? Is that future citizen being considered in the decisions being made today?  Are the voices of our worlds future being included in the decisions that will impact their lives?

If I'm being honest, the podcast was a great reminder not only of what we are capable of as a community, but what we must be as individuals. I'm also now compelled to read Roman Krznaric's book The Good Ancestor as a way to dig deeper into how I must contribute.

Perhaps it was the beautiful sky as the sun set, perhaps it was walking past a school as I was listening, perhaps it was wanting to be a part of something bigger than me.  Perhaps it was a reminder that what some would consider bold and audacious thinking is commonplace in some areas of the world already, and what I'm inspired to see more off. 

Regardless, it's now time to delete that RT,  and RT with comment.

"We are just this brief moment...who are we to break the great chain of life with our deadly technologies and ecological destructiveness?"

Roman Krzaric