A Poem A Day...

Audio Version of Today's Poem

No foolin' - April is National Poetry Month.

Woo hoo!

As we're in crazy...and isolated...times, it's the perfect opportunity to enjoy this month in a special way - writing a poem every day.

I don't promise perfect poetry, but I can promise you variety - both in content and in style. Maybe you'll decide to play along with me?

To kick us off (and I hope I'm not setting the bar too high with a song parody), I bring you the lyrics I rewrote to "You'll Be Back" -->

You say e-learning is hard 
when you're stuck with your siblings all day
You cry -you can't see your friends 
or your teachers, it's really a crime
Don't be sad
We don't know how long you'll be at home and staying away
Find ways to be glad
Remember despite social distancing, we're your fam

We'll be back
with a smile
Though it truly may be quite awhile
We'll be back
Time will tell
Make sure you do your assignments well

COVID can't keep us down
Best to wear a smile not a frown
'Cause when push comes to shove
We will send you daily videos to remind you of our love

Da da da...da da da...

So, how will you be celebrating this month...aside from staying at home in your PJs? 😒😬😆

Grace in a time of COVID-19

Aside from seeing my roommate (who is leaving to go to her parents' place for a few days), I have not been in normal contact or conversation with anyone outside of virtual chats, Zoom calls, or FaceTime.

One thing I have done regularly, though, is go outside for either a run or a walk (or two) every day. And on these excursions, without fail to this point, I have encountered a friend - one from ACE, one from my church Sunday night prayer group, and one parent from my previous school. And let me tell you - those short encounters have been true moments of grace from God.

Each interaction was brief.
No hugs were given.
But real conversation happened; we were present in that moment.
And it was wonderful.

In this time of uncertainty and isolation, I find consolation in these moments.
And I find grace in a time of COVID-19.

A little extra time these days...

Why, hello there. It's been awhile. But, you know, with this whole social distancing thing, I'm suddenly finding more time on my hands (while also realizing why I like to keep somewhat to moderately busy during the week)...

How are you?

There's a lot to take in - from the news, from texts from family and friends, from social media. I find it all quite overwhelming, especially as we strive to support our students, families, and teachers in this e-learning experience. It's a big learning curve, I assure you, and I know everyone is adjusting and doing the best they can.

And, can I just say, thank goodness for modern technology?! I just got off a Zoom room call with about 10 of my 7th grade religion students, and it was SO good for the soul to see their faces, hear their voices, and have a conversation (even when they tried to talk over one another). On a side note, I also had a virtual happy hour the other night with my sister and several friends - what a lifesaver!

In reflection this past week, I've come to realize that it's amazing how much I take for granted. And I sincerely hope that once our world has recovered from this pandemic that I make a conscious effort not to do that again. My students & school families, my colleagues, my family (who I now won't be seeing for Easter 😢), my friends (near and far), my prayer groups, my gym, and, perhaps most of all, church - these are people and things I sincerely miss, and I know others are missing their respective people, places, and activities as well.

As this gets worse before it gets better, let's take a moment to pray for and remember the healthcare workers and those who are still reporting to their jobs so that we can work from the comfort of our homes. So many people are making sacrifices and so many people are without any human contact. This is truly a hard time for everyone.

I hope you are healthy and well. Be safe everyone.

2020 - What's the Word?

Over the break, a colleague forwarded me a newsletter with various resources from Jon Gordon, a famous author and motivational speaker. One of his big things for the past several years has been to encourage people to stay away from New Year's Resolutions (which, he claims, 80+% of people break by the end of January) and instead follow a three step process to choose one word.

Now, I'd heard about "One Word" before, most recently on the Abiding Together podcast, and I thought, how sweet but how can that possibly make a difference in someone's life? Though I was doubtful, I ended up buying Jon Gordon's book (which is a quick read - by the indication in the book it takes 49 minutes cover to cover) and also the kid version to see what it was all about.

I followed the process, which included time for silence and prayer, and one word came to me right away. I pushed it aside, as I didn't want to rush into it, even though it felt right, and tried many other words in my head and heart. Still, I kept coming back to my word - trust. I am working on trusting God with various aspects of my life (including my job, relationships, etc.), and I am working on trusting others, including my students, in so much as believing they are doing what they are supposed to be doing at any given time. And, of course, I must always work on trusting myself.

And so, that has become my 2020 word of the year/"one word."

And, do you know what? I had a crazy teaching schedule this week, where I only saw my 7th grade religion class (which is the only class I teach) two times. So, instead of jumping into new content, I created (and borrowed) some activities and models to guide my students through the process of choosing their own "One Word" for 2020. While Tuesday's class was rough (as it was their first day back after break), they (well, at least most of them) fully engaged in the process and took it seriously. Some of their words were confident/confidence, sacrifice, try, effort, adventure, joy, and positivity. I was amazed! This upcoming week I am giving them time to find and/or create visuals they can hang in their rooms or put as iPad backgrounds to remind them of their "One Word" over the course of the year. We'll see what they come up with.

Maybe you want to give "One Word" a try - go ahead; it's simple. Then, you just need to remind yourself of it on a regular basis. (Mine is my phone background.) I hope if you do try it that it works out in guiding you and pushing you to live it out this year.

Yes, 2020 is off and running. There always seems to be plenty to do and plenty of friends to catch up with. Since being back from visiting my family over the holidays, I've spent time with friends in Milwaukee (for NYE and New Years), the Art Institute (thank goodness for membership), local establishments for meals, and folk's condos/apartments just hanging out.

Haven't seen any shows in 2020 yet, but there will be a few rapid fire ones in the coming weeks, which makes me pretty excited. I don't think it's possible (nor should I feel the need) to see more shows in 2020 than 2019. That was one for the books. (I also read a lot of books last year, but that's another story...)

One last thing - as some of you may know, I spent 2019 with the resolve to buy no new clothes (aside from underwear and socks) the whole year...and I made it! I also gave away bags of stuff to St. Vincent de Paul (special shoutout to my sister for carting those away for me). Since the new year, though, I have broken down and bought a few new items; though, I think I am much more prudent now, really thinking if I truly want or need something (e.g. a new pair of jeans) before purchasing. I hope to not buy too many new items this year; otherwise, I don't think I really learned my lesson, did I?

I hope you have a wonderful start to the 2020 year!

Just religion class?

"It doesn't matter. It's just religion class," a student muttered under his breath.

And my heart sank.

Just religion class?

As a teacher, it can be frustrating when you see that students do not engage with the material that you pour your heart and energy into preparing...but when it has to do with the faith, that's even worse, in my humble opinion.

We're a Catholic school, yet faith is definitely not everyone's priority. We're focused on test scores, coverage of curriculum, +/- in gradebook...the list goes on. And these things are important (some more than others and some because our culture teaches/forces us to care so much), but I think it's fair to say we've lost a sense of our mission and values. I honestly don't think it's because we don't believe in these things ourselves as teachers and administrators; rather, I think it's because we let these other things slowly creep in and take priority and suck up our energy.

• What are parent emails mostly about? - teachers grading unfairly, problems with different policies, etc.
• What are teacher PDs mostly about? data, ELA/Math curriculum, student behavior
• What gets scrapped first in terms of needing to find more time in the school day schedule? religion class

Again, I don't think this is done purposefully, but with the pressure to get these kids into their top high schools (so stressful!) and the push to make sure no student falls behind, we are inadvertently dropping the ball on what should matter the most: helping students develop an understand of, and relationship with, Jesus and the faith.

Is everyone Catholic at our school? No - not even close. But most are Christian, which is in the same family and just as important in terms of evangelizing. Are most students practicing? That's a hard no. And I can't judge because I'm not a parent, but when sports games and other activities pull at the time families should be setting aside for dinners, Mass, and prayer, that is a problem. And if they're not getting the sense at home that faith is important, that Jesus is real and someone we should spend time with, etc., then to what end is what I teach going to sink in and be something they think is valuable and worthwhile?

And I'm at a loss for how to help fix it. And I know it's not a unique problem to my school community. But if I can't get the students to take religion class (or even certain parts of class) seriously, they are just going through the motions of turning things in for a grade, thinking time for intercessory prayer is a joke, and not really taking the opportunity to try to connect with God, Jesus, or Mary.

I wanted to do a reset with my students when we came back from Thanksgiving, so I took them over to the chapel in the church. It's a beautiful, sacred space...and even when I explained/reviewed the expectations and why it is such a special place, the way they acted in the space made me feel deflated and appalled. I had to email at least 6 parents about behavior, and I even asked our pastor to speak with them after Mass on Wednesday. We were supposed to do a simple reflection designed for middle school students on the first Sunday of Advent, but it was all a joke to them. Some of it probably reflects on my own behavior management of the class, but part of it reflects that students seem to have lost their sense of wonder and reverence of the sacred. 

So, what now? Before we go on Christmas break, I plan to have the students watch "The Song of Bernadette," as we wrap up our unit on Mary, but I wonder how much it will speak to their hearts. I want to use the new year (coming back after Christmas break) as a reset, but as I look at the curriculum for the rest of the year, I struggle with what units/topics will most speak to their hearts. (And I struggle with how to balance that with student grades - which I wish I didn't have to give, but that's a whole other issue.)

I unloaded a lot - if you've stuck with me through this entire post, I first want to thank you for following my crazy line of thinking and brain-dump. And I want to also ask for your prayers for me and my students (and not just my students but all of the students in our school and those across our country who seem to be in the same boat).

May God continue to bless you this Advent season.

Running for (and with) others

Less than one week out from my marathon, I can't help but reflect with gratitude on the people who have helped support me along the way (and those who will be with me on race day). This post is for them...

*Mission OLA - This place and its wonderful people (the religious men and women who serve there as well as those whom they serve through their ministry) are the reason I am running this race and the reason I reached out to family and friends to help me fundraise over $1000. Their presence/ministry in the Humboldt Park neighborhood is a true gift from God, and I am fortunate to be a part of their efforts in a small way on a somewhat regular ongoing basis too.

*My fellow runners - Whether it was a quick text, email, or phone call/conversation to check in and see how the training was going, it meant a lot and it kept me going. It's such a blessing to know that others are cheering along the journey and praying for me and a strong race. Knowing that someone is a long-distance runner forms an automatic bond for me with that person - they just get it. And for that I am grateful.

*My sister - Believe it or not, this is the first marathon that my sister is not running with me. (Well, Disney still counts because we were in the same race - she was just 20 minutes faster so we weren't technically running together.) Therefore, it's going to be different - I'll have to be the one to push myself, especially when I get to the end and always want to wimp out; I'll have to imagine her there telling me to keep going and that I can rest when it's over. (She also got me a goody bag full of important things like chocolate, throwaway gloves, and a portable roller for sore muscles after the race. That was pretty great.)

*My parents - They have always been my biggest cheerleaders. My dad even wrote me a short (inspirational) poem when I sent him the runner tracking information. :) They've been to several of our marathons (Disney, Chicago, Detroit, & Cincinnati), jumping around at different points of the course to take photos and watch us run by. They won't be at this race, but I know they'll be praying and tracking from afar.

*My race weekend buddies - Ok, so they're running the 5K, but they are still giving up their weekend to come support and cheer me on. They will be subjected to my early morning race day hours (so I can get my coffee in ahead of time), pre-race meal dietary restrictions, and random agitation of crowds/inefficiency at the expo. But it will be great. And we will get to celebrate the rest of the weekend.



Running is something that has always been a part of my family's lifestyle, even if it was just holiday 5Ks (Turkey Trot & Jingle Bell Run) growing up, and it is something that truly became part of my identity in college. Our running group ("Bull Run") was filled with awesome people who helped me go from barely being able to run 3 miles to running a marathon in under 4 hours. I still think of them in my training and racing to this day and try to take their advice to heart.

Even when I thought I'd have to hang up my long-distance running shoes when I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, my physical therapist and doctor helped me get back on my feet (literally) and build my running stamina back up to what it once was, with my first marathon back at it being a PR by over 5 minutes.

God is so good, and He has blessed me with this opportunity to race next Saturday with the support of my family and friends. If you think of it, please say an extra prayer for me (and for all those running) on Saturday. It's going to be a chilly one, but I hope it will be precipitation- and wind-free! Let's go!!

"And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

What Broadway can teach us about the human spirit

MIA is one word to describe my blogging presence. Time flies when you're having fun...or when you say yes to too many things...or just because everything seems to go faster with each passing year...

Am I right? 😜

And perhaps one of the reasons I haven't been writing here at all of late is because I haven't felt compelled to share anything in particular. That's not for a lack of things happening - kids are in my office nearly every day, planning for my one class is taking more time that I expected, marathon training is messing with my sleeping habits, etc. etc. etc. - it's more for feeling that my blog post may not add any value to this world or help anyone.

But, then again, maybe it will...

Just yesterday I was explaining to a good friend how I was feeling pretty exhausted because I had my 20 miler training run that morning. She asked, "What do you think about for 20 miles? I can't imagine running for 1 hour let alone 3!"

The truth is, I don't do too much thinking. My mind wanders...a LOT. But mostly I let myself get lost in music, when one particular soundtrack tends to take center stage for that particular marathon's training. (For the Oakland Marathon it was actually two - "Dear Evan Hanson" and "Fiddler on the Roof.") The Indy Marathon is no exception, and training run after training run I've listened to and fallen in love with "Come From Away."

If you haven't heard of this musical or listened to its soundtrack, stop reading this blog post right now and find it on Spotify. (I'll be right here when you get back. 😉)

"Come From Away" is based on the true story of a town called Gander on the island of Newfoundland, where they landed planes that were outside of American air space on September 11, 2001. It's about true generosity of spirit, what bonds us as humans, and the good that can result from something as terrible as an act of terrorism. Just when you feel your heart is about to break during the show, you find yourself laughing or smiling, and it's impossible not to feel transported back to where you were on that day. The characters are lovable, relatable, and real. Their feelings are palpable. (And I wanted to stand up and cheer when the female pilot sings about becoming the first female captain in history - hooray for strong women and strides for equality!)

Perhaps I have a special place in my heart for this musical because my grandpa's best friend is from Newfoundland, and he is one of the most generous, welcoming, and fun-loving people I've ever met. One of the lines in the last song of the show pretty much sums him up:

A: Why are Newfoundlanders so bad at knock-knock jokes?
B: I don't know.
A: Well, try it. I'll be a Newfoundlander.
B: Knock knock.
A: Come on in, the door's open! 

Yep, that's accurate. But I digress...

I think this show and its music has really been on my mind and tugging at my heart lately because with so much hate in our world and terrible things on the news, it's easy to get swept up in the same mentality. But there is so much good...and there is room for so much good when we give it a chance. Did you see how Brandt Jean forgave his brother's murderer in a courtroom in Dallas? Some people were up in arms that he could do that in court (and that the judge hugged the woman too)...but it's forgiveness, and it's his to give, not ours to judge. It's beautiful...and it shows strength of the one forgiving. How much easier would it have been in that moment to look at the police officer in hatred and wish her harm to repay for what she did? But he didn't... And there are so many other acts of love and good out there that we may never know about or only hear about years later (such as was the case for me with learning about the people of Gander on 9/11), but they're there.

Why does the right thing have to be so hard to do these days? What is driving people apart and making us forget that we belong to one another, to God, to the larger human race?

I wish I had an answer...and a solution. But for now, I'll keep trying to do good a little at a time, to do the next right thing. That's something we can all try to do. And we can remember and celebrate the good when it comes our way, whether that be in the news or in a Broadway show.