Today has brought on some very new and interesting insights. I want to start with my daughter. As I said earlier, Jaime and I have always been very close. But I've always thought of her even at this age as "my little girl." I know. Kind of silly. I mean, she is 35 years old. But it's a mom thing. So when she and Ryan got pregnant, I still thought like that. And I thought that way when she called with this news of Down syndrome--I needed to be the comforting mom. But in the past 48 hours something has completely changed. I see her now for the amazing woman she has become. She has taken this news and just run with it! She's made contacts and done research; she's cried; she's rebounded. But most of all I have sensed this intense resolve...a tangible change I can feel through the phone. I am in awe! And I am so very proud! She and Ryan have GOT this! :)
This is going to be a long post, so fair warning. In the past 24 hours two seemingly unrelated events came together for me to experience a “big enlightenment.” In fact, it was so big I had to share. It began in a meeting for a college organization that I have facilitated for the past two years - a wonderful group of master teachers who share strategies for engaging students in the learning process. We watched a TEDx talk by professor John Boyer from Virginia Tech. (If you can find 14.49 minutes in your busy day I strongly recommend you watch.) His delivery style made me uncomfortable. His words inspired me. The second event happened last night. My daughter shared some more pictures of Wes. I’m sharing one of those here. This set of pictures affected me like none before. And that’s when I had the big enlightenment. Bear with me please. John Boyer speaks of inspiration and how we have lost that ingredient of education through the constant focus on standardization of learning objectives...
Love this.
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