Happy Birthday Christopher

Happy Birthday wishes to my "Favorite Middle Brother" Chris.

Here are photos of Chris with his lovely daughter Willow. Michelle, his wife, must take all the photos in this household, because I could not find one of her in my stash. (Michelle, have Chris take some shots every once in a while!)

Of all the people I know, Chris most embodies the term "zest for life". It is a pleasure to be around him, he is always loving what he is doing, whether he is enjoying the great outdoors or simply sitting and conversing with friends and family. He is a true pleasure to be around; I only wish I were around him more often!

If you turn your speakers on your computers on right now, you will hear the music of one of Chris' favorite musical groups - The String Cheese Incident. The first song on the dial is "Wheel of life" The lyrics seem to be appropriate on a birthday:

I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

And I made one more night

Yeah, I've been spinning 'round the wheel of life

Happy birthday, you handsome guy!

Overcoming "Our Deepest Fear"

Week 7.

For those of you who do not teach 16 week semesters, that phrase is probably meaningless. For my students, it is the halfway point. It is that time in the semester when many of them begin to realize that they might really need to kick it into high gear in order to pass. It is the time in the semester when expectations rise and they need to reach higher than they have in order to do well.

Unfortunately many of them become afraid and feel that reaching the goal of the end of the semester is simply too difficult. It is that time in the semester that many students tend to disappear; they simply stop coming to class.

As a teacher this time of the semester is hard. I know that many of my students have difficult lives; many of them are single parents and are trying to balance the struggle to earn a living in order to provide for their children, and school which will improve the quality of life for their families. It's so hard to watch them struggle toward a goal and then disappear when that goal starts to feel impossible.

This makes me think about fear. We have all experienced fear in some way or another, it just manifests in different ways for different people. I think that sometimes, students at the community college level give up due to fear. The fear of failure... but also the fear of success.

I've been thinking about a particular passage which is often misattributed to Nelson Mandela, but it was actually written by the motivational writer and speaker Marianne Williamson, and appears in her book "A Return to Love".

Regardless of the source, the message is very powerful:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

This passage strikes me because it seems to state that each of us possesses the strength, the intellect, and the power to offer the world amazing things. That it is our responsibility to work to our full capacity and to achieve all that we are able. That when we do, others work to their top capability as well.

Think about that the next time you are facing someone who is giving up. I know that I will.

Obama visits LaCrosse

Those of you who know me well have noted that I have been extremely silent about politics on this blog. I should remark that it has been both deliberate and difficult. The reason for that silence is pretty simple, the purpose of the blog is to discuss the family activities, and that discussion is what my audience expects (purpose and audience are the same reason why I do not discuss politics in my classroom).

I must, however, break from policy for this post. On Wednesday, October the 1st, Senator Obama came to speak in LaCrosse, just 5 blocks from my campus. I offered my students the extra credit option of attending and writing about the experience, and I walked to the rally with several of my co-workers. I've been reflecting on the experience ever since.

I had the good fortune of being raised in Manchester, New Hampshire. With New Hampshire's "First in the Nation" status, I have had the opportunity to listen to, and often shake hands with most candidates for the highest office in the land. My dad used to love to attend the rallys, and I often went with him. I grew up in a house where canvassing neighborhoods with pamphlets was a perfectly exceptable way to spend an autumn Saturday. I often wonder what my dad would make of this election.

As a speech instructor, I certainly was moved by Senator Obama's speech. He not only knows how to construct a powerful speech (and he does write them himself) but he also knows how to deliver a speech. I must say that I find the prospect of having a president whose speeches I can hold up as examples to my students extremely appealing.

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It was more than that though. Yes, I was caught up in the charisma and enthusiasm of the moment. Yes, I left the rally feeling full of hope and enthusiasm for America, but it was more than that.

After reflecting for a few days, I realized that I still felt excited. It is an excitement that is greater than what one feels as one is caught up in the fervor of a speech. I'm excited for America. I really believe that we are at a turning point. In the past eight years we have gone from a national surplus to a tremendous deficit, we are trapped in a seemingly endless and costly war (costly both in economics and in human lives), we have lost the respect of most all of our allies, and we are on the verge of an economic collapse, similar to the economic collapse this country experienced in 1929.

I believe that we need a change, and I believe that Senator Obama can deliver that change. I beleive that Senator Obama has a vision that will lift this nation out of our current decline, a vision that will allow the middle and lower class to live better and more productive lives.

I remember my father talking about the hope and enthusiasm he felt as John F. Kennedy ran for and won the presidency. I can’t help but think about some of the similarities between these two men. I wonder what my dad would make of Senator Obama. I'd like to think he would feel the same hope I feel.

I would never be so bold as to tell you who to vote for. That should be your decision alone. I will, however, encourage you to make sure that you do vote. Please make sure that you are registered to vote and that you visit your polling place on November 4th.

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*Thanks to Brenda and Dan Rooney for the fantastic photos!