Cultivating Mental Silence

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Surrender...

The end of another school year...my 27th! I always have mixed feelings at this time of year. One way I try to sort these feelings out is to spend time reflecting on things...what worked...what didn't...take aways, etc.The one thing that comes to mind is the time I invested in a certain friend (a troubled student) I inherited from another class way back in January. I've written about and around this subject since I was told I was getting him.The main take away from our time together is that my friend reminded me of the importance of embracing things that come your way. I was not happy when I was told I was inheriting my friend. See previous blogposts addressing this. It took a long time for me to personally come to terms with it. Looking back now...that was very small of me!I received a lot of support from family and friends while I was attempting to get over this. I am very grateful to the people that helped me...their patience with me is a big reason things turned out the way they did. I also sought out solace spiritually...meditation, yoga, running are just a few things that helped. The wisdom of others was another source that helped greatly. Specifically, the following quote from Rumi helped me realize the opportunity that others wanted for my friend...and maybe even me...Very little grows on jagged rock.Be ground. Be crumbled,so wildflowers will come upwhere you are.You have been stony for too many years.Try something different. Surrender.So...within the context of this quote...my friend is the "wildflower" and my ability to "try something different" enabled me to re-imagine him as something other than what he was prior to his arrival in my classroom. In turn, my capacity to "surrender" gave him space to see himself as something other than the person he was in the classroom he was in before we met.In just 5 short months...my friend went from someone who could not last an entire school day in a classroom without being removed for disciplinary reasons to someone who now enjoys being in the classroom...enjoys being around others that are too engaged in the same struggle...and...more importantly...sees himself as someone capable of learning! All because I decided to "surrender."