Bird Droppings February 17, 2012

Such a simple word JOY!

            When I was planning my day yesterday I was originally going to drive down to Georgia Southern University and make a stop in Macon at the Indian Mounds but the day changed directions. My next thought was to head up to the Foxfire property in Mountain City Georgia, which got me thinking as the weather was not too good early on yesterday. About two years ago I had planned to meet with a good friend and professor at Piedmont College Dr. Hilton Smith up at the property. The night before I received a call from Hilton and the property visit was off due to the driveway up Black Rock Mountain was still covered in snow and impassable we could meet at the Rabun County high School instead. The next morning I received another call and Hilton informed me that snow in Rabun County closed the schools so could we meet at Piedmont College in his office. So bright and early two years ago today I headed to Demorest Georgia and Piedmont College. I wanted to discuss a few possibilities about my dissertation with Hilton who is the resident expert on Foxfire. I am still pondering my dissertation and sitting here this morning wondering about the first line.

            I got up early today and drove to one of my favorite stores to get a Sobe cranberry grapefruit drink. Quick Trip was as always open and busy. I went to my cooler door to get my drink and as I walked by noticed it was the Sobe delivery guy restocking various drinks in the coolers. I was in shock my drink was gone but after careful deliberation found it two doors over I may be able to get over the shock by this afternoon. I raced home taking pictures of an emerging sunrise as I drove. As I have for several mornings while on holiday took a series of images of a rising sun. Sitting watching a sunrise unfold is a rather special event knowing and sitting through the beginnings and ending is to say the least peaceful.

Going back to my Piedmont visit two years ago as I sat waiting for Hilton Smith another fellow pulled in to the parking lot about the same time I did and it turned out to be Dr. Bob Cummings the Dean of Education. We talked for a few minutes and I went back to taking photos of the campus and wildlife. However as Dr. Bob and I talked several teacher related discussions came up. One that seriously caught my attention was the comment about test scores.

“There is a correlation between zip codes and test score, the research shows it.” Dr. Robert Cummings, Dean of Education, Piedmont College

 

A seemingly innocent statement but coming from Dr. Bob no way is it innocent. We were discussing a state legislation bill that would no longer provide incentive for advanced degrees to teachers. Only performance on tests would be the criteria for pay and bonuses. With that in mind it becomes quite evident where the good doctor was going. If the legislation gets past many graduate programs in Georgia will shut down. All because of test scores that truly measure literally nothing but where a kid is in their ability to read and test at that given moment.  

            As I finished my photo shoot and went inside to meet with Dr. Smith I bumped into Dr. Jane McFerrin who is was the past Dean of Education and we spoke for a few minutes about how my Piedmont days started in her office many years ago. I turned the corner to Hilton’s office and he met me at the door. We talked for nearly an hour about my ideas for my dissertation and trends in teaching and how progressivism is still fighting traditional education. It seems John Dewey’s hundred year old thoughts are still ahead of where we are today. As I concluded my visit and headed home nearly two years ago many fond memories and after sitting reflecting and pondering as I say it was a joyous day. Such a simple word is joy.

“Keep a green tree alive in your heart and a songbird may come to sing there.” Chinese Proverb

Perhaps maybe a simple thought to start with about joy. As I am sitting here a bit later than normal to do my writing but at the same time downloading images of a glorious sunrise, the morning has already been interesting. Continually as I go out meeting former teachers, students and friends, understanding that each has been a piece in the puzzle of my life.  One aspect that I found most recently however is when walking about, be it looking for the good, the bright, it is about having a green tree in your heart and as the proverb states then maybe a song bird will come sing.

“When you were born, you cried and everybody else was happy. The only question that matters is this: When you die, will YOU be happy when everybody else is crying?” Dr.Tony Campolo

In 1969 or 1970 I sat in his class atEasternBaptistCollegein St. David’sPennsylvania, that was another life time ago, very few people could walk in a room and fire it up the way Tony Camplolo could. I never while at Eastern saw him not smiling joking living life to the fullest. One of the books that he wrote, Carpe Diem, explains his philosophy “Seize the day”.

“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

“The primary joy of life is acceptance, approval, the sense of appreciation and companionship of our human comrades. Many men do not understand that the need for fellowship is really as deep as the need for food, and so they go through life accepting many substitutes for genuine, warm, simple.” Joshua Loth Liebman

We are communal beings we thrive on fellowship on acceptance. It is true many do never understand the need within us for fellowship, a young man had just before break come to my room when he came in and as I understood it he did not need to take a test as he had exempted the test however his entrance was preceded with a teacher emailing the entire faculty that she had seen him and he was not in her room. As life goes I emailed back where he was and she came and got him and then took him to her room. I was ok with issue of responsibility for him during first block but attitude of teacher and student towards each other bothered me and now another email, about finding the student. As I ponder if teachers do like students and students do not like teachers how effective will that class time be?

For many I am a loner almost monastic at times yet within my day I make contact with several thousands of people in writing and in conversation, and just sitting in the hallway as students and teachers go by. I consider many my friends, often people that I met today. One word stood out as I reviewed Liebman words, appreciation and as I look at life sometimes when we show appreciation not only is it self-gratifying it too stimulates the person we appreciate as well it is a symbiotic response. Is that not what we are about, symbiosis, osmosis hopefully not parasitism?

“Joy has no cost.” Marianne Williamson

 

Marianne Williamson, lecturer and writer of “new age” materials writes extensively on the attributes of joy. One aspect I have noticed in her writings is her optimism and a continually up lifting note. She promotes searching for and looking for that silver lining to the clouds in life and reminds us that joy has no cost it is free and waiting for you to choose to have it. The other day as I talked with an old friend what was a moment of pause, a period of time in my life when I felt pushed away as did he. I had come to realize had I not gone a different direction I would not be here where I am, and I am where I need to be now. I may get pushed away, fired, turned around but only to where I need to be at that next moment.

In reality it is not a significant change in outlook only a few words and one or two steps. When we focus on the reasons of the past it is so difficult to see reasons of now. When bitterness holds a chain around your neck you cannot rise up and finish crossing the stream you are held down and drowning floundering in the water. Take the effort and pull up on to the rock, cross the stream and the Carpe Diem as Tony Campolo says and live your life, seize the day and it will be a joyous one.

My dear friends each moment and each hour we flounder keeps us shackled there. Is it too much, or is it that there is too much out there to worry over, “spilled milk” as they say. Keep your eyes open and see the world around you. Have a glorious and joyous evening and day tomorrow and keep all in harm’s way on your mind and in your thoughts and always give thanks.

namaste

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