Bird Droppings November 9, 2009
Is it what we see?

“The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly.” Richard Bach

Bach’s quote is a simple analogy in life yet so true. Looking at this little illustration of how a caterpillar might view his demise just before becoming a butterfly. Bach so often is off the wall making us if we even try to read his tales think beyond where we are. Years ago I recall reading “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” and in that day discussed the book and ideas with youth groups and college classes. Today few youth and adults even know of its existence.

“The simplest questions are the most profound. Where were you born? Where is your home? Where are you going? What are you doing? Think about these once in a while and watch your answers change.” Richard Bach

“You are always free to change your mind and choose a different future, or a different past.” Richard Bach

Bach wrote often and much about freedom of being able to choose in a world where parameters were seemingly solidified. He wrote of a seagull that chose to fly higher and of whimsical ferrets saving lives along the coast line. But always it is about freedom, and of choice.

“You don’t want a million answers as much as you want a few forever questions. The questions are diamonds you hold in the light. Study a lifetime and you see different colors from the same jewel.” Richard Bach

“You teach best what you most need to learn.” Richard Bach

I often wondered where Richard Bach found his ideas. Maybe he stood in my kitchen as our old rainbow maker about ten o-clock each morning scattered rainbows about the kitchen. Several years ago my wife received this little gift from a friend, a solar powered little toy; a tiny motor spins a prism crystal slowly when the sun hits the solar panel just right. Of course when the beam of sunlight hits the prism it emanates hundreds of rainbows that scatter about the room. Many were the days that I would stand awash in rainbows letting that light bounce all over me as I thought about life.
Bach talks of questions that too reflect like that prism in different lights. But it as you learn and gain wisdom it seems the light changes and the different colors appear. So many times I refer back to a statement by Henry David Thoreau. “In order to teach one must be a learner first”. He gave up teaching to be a learner. I was thinking back to my sons and their childhood and teaching them through and of various aspects of life. I learned as much with each lesson, if not more than they did.

“Don’t be dismayed by good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” “Every person, all the events of your life are there because you have drawn them there. What you choose to do with them is up to you.” Richard Bach

Each day as the semester winds down towards winter break, students seem to find their way to my room drawn by curiosity perhaps and often that in their own class learning has stopped as students are excited about the break. Many teachers are cleaning up and getting files in order with all of the AYP, annual yearly Performance. Lately I have been offering shadaku puzzles along with various assundery wooden puzzles and always Stevie the wonder snake and all the questions a live snake can conjure.
Usually the first question is what do you teach? I always refer to the sign on my door, the philosophy of education and why we are even trying to learn about what it is we are here for, and usually they do not ask again. I saw an article on the Japanese number puzzles and now have a file of various levels in my laptop. I offer a simple prize for solving puzzles a pack of m&m’s. This sounds silly but when students who would be just sitting around sleeping or talking are spending hours solving a simple number puzzle it is infectious and you know what learning continues.
Often Stevie will illicit questions as we sit holding a five foot python. A dear friend from the Georgia coast has made most of my wooden puzzles ranging in difficulty from a few simple pieces to a series of wooden swords inserted into a block of wood with only one way of getting them all in. Each involves thinking and eye hand coordination. Learning occurs in often the most mundane settings.

“Every problem has a gift for you in its hands.” “Happiness is the reward we get for living to the highest right we know.” Richard Bach

Seems each question has an answer when needed, each answer then has questions to ponder, each pondering another pathway and each pathway another life to live. We all need to look to find that rainbow maker and bathe in the rainbows, to solve the puzzles, or to hold a snake. We need to wonder and think and learn and live. Life is far too short to fret over what we do and why. Perhaps I need to take my own advice and step beyond where I am, step over to the other side of the stream as it would seem. Please keep all in harms way on your mind and in your hearts.
namaste
bird