I am a husband, writer, and teacher exploring what it means to cultivate mental silence.

Just when I was ready to give up on this day...

Just when I was ready to give up on this day...I had a really rough day in the classroom today. The dynamics in my room are complicated and keeping things calm so everyone has the opportunity to learn can be quite a challenge. I left trying not to beat myself up for what I did not do while simultaneously trying to convince myself that I did my best. In short, I tried to let go of what had passed.When I got home I went upstairs to read some reflections I asked my students to write about a field trip we’d taken yesterday. I asked them to write about what they liked the most and why, what they liked least and why and...if they could have stayed in one place longer what would that place have been and why. Words cannot describe how beautiful their responses are! Honest, pure, and grateful can only begin to give you an image of what was going through their minds. Just when I was ready to give up on this day, my students pulled me out of a depressed mood and made my heart full of hope!

My day...

Another haiku...