The Forty Files

“You learn something valuable from all of the significant events and people, but you never touch your true potential until you challenge yourself to go beyond imposed limitations.” Roy T. Bennett

Pandemic parenting had me all sorts of befuddled until I adopted greater empathy for wider audiences and scenarios. Let’s give a slow cap for our NJ educators. Yesterday they received the reopening guidelines for schools, which are outrageously and overwhelmingly dense. The weight of the world is on superintendents and parental panic is matched or exceeded by staff stress.

It was never going to be easy, but I didn’t dare think it to be this difficult.

Now that we’ve taken care of the reaction, let’s focus on the revelation. Mourn the madness and move forward. In the words of Bennett, “challenge yourself to go beyond imposed limitations.” I’m not here for conversations about the restrictions. I’m here for creative and much needed compassionate solutions. How does that happen? We ask questions. We make mountains move not only with answers but angles. We look to leadership within our districts and passion within our parent community. We must commit to patience and persistence.

We can’t ask away anxiety, but we can gather and gain knowledge and power in the process. It’s entirely too easy to be negative, so I’m going with the belief that anything is possible. It’s a challenge, but imagine overcoming and achieving. It’s the far better frame of mind and the one I find hope and humility in.

These are difficult days. Early on I said I wanted to do more than survive this pandemic. I still believe this to be true and necessary. How can we help our districts? How can we support and sustain our educators? What can we do to make this experience more profound and peaceful for our children? Let’s take these questions and move beyond the barriers. There’s something good out there for us to find and foster.