As the Snow Settles

"Learn self-conquest, persevere thus for a time, and you will perceive very clearly the advantage which you gain from it. As soon as you apply yourself to contemplation, you will feel your senses gather themselves together."

~Saint Teresa of Avila

My book project is moving forward.

Slowly and steadily.

The project is geared toward my middle school students.

The hope is to introduce the idea of self-actualization and heroic service.

The purpose is to share some ancient wisdom and modern science.

And perhaps these kids will learn some theory and find some practices that will help them better navigate life's obstacles.

As Brian Johnson of Optimize would say, we all need tools to help us "operationalize virtue."

What more could a teacher ask for?

And what an opportunity I've been given to connect and share with these kids.

So as I work on this project, I consider these young lives.

I consider the great gift I've been given to share in this part of their lives.

And though my role often is defined by the content of the subject I teach, there is so much more.

So much more to offer to help these kids develop into young men and women of character.

I am fully aware that I am only a small part of their lives and their life experience.

But how humbling and beautiful to serve in this community and in this capacity.

One message I want to teach is that we all need to pause, breathe, and smile.

It is important that we take time to slow down and find some clarity.

To realize how blessed we are to participate in life.

And that we can appreciate the beauty of life.

And that we can celebrate our lives and the lives of others.

We are all on this hero's journey of finding meaning and living life well along the way.

What better way than to live each day with arete (excellence) and service to others?

I like to think of the analogy of our minds as snowglobes.

The swirling of our thoughts slowly settles when we sit still for a moment.

When we take time to pause and breathe.

When we take time to be grateful and to smile.

Self-conquest, self-actualization, and heroic service is a process.

Growth in life is a trajectory, not a destination.

There will be a lot of swirling snow to come in these young lives.

Perhaps a few of these words and ideas will take root.

Perhaps these seeds of shared wisdom will find a place to grow.

And how beautiful the opportunity to share and participate.

To appreciate and celebrate in this small way.

In this small project.

In these precious lives.

As the snow settles.

Photo by Jessica Fadel on Unsplash