MAC Week 4: Blog Post 4: Free Reflection

Wk4 Reading: Art of Possibility Chapters 9 – 12

Photo By: Rellie Manl Photo

Brenda McGee’s Blog Post

In my reading this week two chapters really stood out with me which were Chapters 9 and 11. In Chapter 9, the catchphrase “Being the board”…is my new focus and understanding that I am the framework for what happens in my life. “If I cannot be present without resistance to the way things are and act effectively, if I feel myself to be wronged, a loser, or a victim, I will tell myself that some assumptions I have made are the source of my difficulty”. Working to avoid questioning all of the bad things that happen but accepting that, it is a part of life will return the control back to me. Letting go of the past because I have no control over the past and being the board rewards me with self-respect. If I try to exhibit courage and compassion, I can move forward.

Chapter 11 discusses removing the “me, me, me” and replacing it with “we, we, we” and everybody wins, everybody moves forward. The world has moved away from “we” and this has caused a downward spiral in the world. Our kids have not learned how to respect, share, love, or have compassion for each other. I miss the village because it appears to have disappeared from the concept of rearing children. I try to leave a mark with every child I meet. I leave them with positive words of wisdom and a feeling that someone cares about their existence and they do matter.

JoAnne Green’s comment to Brenda McGee’s Post

Brenda you are so right when the “board” example gives you self-respect.  I also inform my students to leave the past behind you and let my students know that life goes on and we do learn from our mistakes.  The challenges life brings our way can be achieved when I encourage my students to be a leader and not a follower. I tell my students to stay motivated in spite of and I tell them that once we learn from our mistakes it also keeps us stronger.