I hate reality shows. It seems more than not what the audience learns about the ethics and integrity of the participants I'd just as soon not know. But that's just me.
So when someone comes along that defies the odds and sets new ground rules on a failure-oriented reality show, I love it. Such is the story of Susan Boyle, a nice, middle aged, simple woman who had the courage to audition on the reality show, Britain's Got Talent.
I'm trying to imagine her backstage, in her pretty dress and matching pumps, nerves tightening her throat and feeling acutely out of place and far away from the safety of her small English village. She might have been feeling like everything was at stake and her dreams were hanging in the balance before a crowd of thousands she didn't know, young and old, judging her right along with three cynical judges. She probably wouldn't have been able to even imagine the millions more viewers around the world also tuned in on TV and the internet.
I used to watch my son David play competitive soccer in middle school. He was a thin and wiry lad, quiet and humble. But once the ball was in play, he had the skill and speed of a jaguar, whipping the ball down the field before the other team knew what was happening. His coach used to call him the team's secret weapon. It was one of his special gifts.
I am so proud of Susan for having the courage to face her dreams head on. Even with rude eyes rolling and murmers from the crowd, she pushed forward because she knew something we didn't know: she knew her gift. And when the music began, her glorious voice filled the room with pure joy, stunning us, inspiring us, and reminding us that cynicism and snap judgments are barriers to revealing who we really are. All of us have special gifts that aren't always visible with the naked eye.
Susan Boyle is a world-wide sensation because everyone wants to believe that anything is possible. It feels good to be reminded that, scary though it is, our gifts are worth sharing with the world. The writers and singers among us, those that could inspire and make a difference in big and small ways, when will we have the courage to step out on that stage and reveal ourselves? Mom was right about not judging a book by its cover.
Apr 17, 2009
Apr 4, 2009
Intangibles
Ok, so now you know. I can't sleep. Melatonin didn't even work.
What woke me up was a sore foot, but I was thinking about my dad and about the way we pass on parts of ourselves to each other. It doesn't have to be family members, although that's usually our closest unit. Friends, co workers, bosses, neighbors - everyone and everything colors our world. It's part of the human experience, the MeStory.
I really believe living stories create a shared history from past to future. The great oral traditions and, later, written works captured historical events, but it is the experience of life that changes us fundamentally, and those we love or admire can't help but become part of our life process, part of who we are becoming.
My skin, my hair, my eyes are like my father's, but it is the passing along of his intangibles that are stored in my heart. Life is bound to build on bits of others, person to person, story to story, imbedding it in history. You're right with me, Pop.
What woke me up was a sore foot, but I was thinking about my dad and about the way we pass on parts of ourselves to each other. It doesn't have to be family members, although that's usually our closest unit. Friends, co workers, bosses, neighbors - everyone and everything colors our world. It's part of the human experience, the MeStory.
I really believe living stories create a shared history from past to future. The great oral traditions and, later, written works captured historical events, but it is the experience of life that changes us fundamentally, and those we love or admire can't help but become part of our life process, part of who we are becoming.
My skin, my hair, my eyes are like my father's, but it is the passing along of his intangibles that are stored in my heart. Life is bound to build on bits of others, person to person, story to story, imbedding it in history. You're right with me, Pop.
Darkness to Light
It's been a long rest stop between blogs, and I've missed it. I've been immersed in re-establishing the library at the high school where I work. The school was under a huge remodel and renovation which is now complete, and for the last month or so it has been my task to rebuild and organize the space. It's a huge and physically exhausting task, and I have come to appreciate the generosity of students and staff who have pitched in to help.
There is excitement building as the space takes shape. Students drop in to find out when it will officially be open and what it will look like. I tell them, come in and check out whatever you like: this is your library and the books are always here when you need them.
I put Inherit the Wind and The Grapes of Wrath on the shelves, knowing the stories and lessons they teach and wonder if they still pack the punch for today's students that they did for me. Jane Eyre, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Long Walk to Freedom, all part of the sampler quilt of life, all waiting for eager minds and warm hands to open them up.
We unbox hundreds a day, maybe more, separating by author or number and carting them to their destination. There are thousands more, each with a voice eager to be heard. Boxes are still everywhere, and as I inspect the covers and check bar codes I drift off thinking about how the space will be.
I imagine a reader's corner, with used books to take and replace for free, and an author-of-the-month display with a bio, photo and copies of books the author has written. Lining the walls will be inspirational quotes and framed photos of student readers, study desks around the perimeter and a research room full of computers with networked printers. Students will learn about library etiquette, a place of quiet respect that welcomes them in and wants them to linger.
The City of Sacramento has expressed interest in developing a partnership and that may mean more books, more hours, more community outreach. I can't think of anything better than a school library being a positive link to families and the neighborhood. It will come.
There is excitement building as the space takes shape. Students drop in to find out when it will officially be open and what it will look like. I tell them, come in and check out whatever you like: this is your library and the books are always here when you need them.
I put Inherit the Wind and The Grapes of Wrath on the shelves, knowing the stories and lessons they teach and wonder if they still pack the punch for today's students that they did for me. Jane Eyre, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Long Walk to Freedom, all part of the sampler quilt of life, all waiting for eager minds and warm hands to open them up.
We unbox hundreds a day, maybe more, separating by author or number and carting them to their destination. There are thousands more, each with a voice eager to be heard. Boxes are still everywhere, and as I inspect the covers and check bar codes I drift off thinking about how the space will be.
I imagine a reader's corner, with used books to take and replace for free, and an author-of-the-month display with a bio, photo and copies of books the author has written. Lining the walls will be inspirational quotes and framed photos of student readers, study desks around the perimeter and a research room full of computers with networked printers. Students will learn about library etiquette, a place of quiet respect that welcomes them in and wants them to linger.
The City of Sacramento has expressed interest in developing a partnership and that may mean more books, more hours, more community outreach. I can't think of anything better than a school library being a positive link to families and the neighborhood. It will come.
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