Lots of music, lots of people, lots to think about!
This post is about people. They could be your friends of many years, they could be friends just starting, or they could be brief acquaintances. They could be family. This is is about how lucky we are, to be able to connect and to care about each other. To be able to teach, to be able to learn.
Over recent weeks, I've had several close friends in completely unrelated scenarios go through some really tough times. Really heartbreaking stuff to be honest, and it was very hard seeing people I cared about in that kind of pain. There were many spontaneous and very long conversations, and they really poured their hearts out. It occurred to me just how important it was for me to be there to listen, and how much trust they must have in me to share their pain that way. Not surprisingly, these are all the same people that were there during my dark years that I've written about in this blog. It really struck me just how important it is to be available and be understanding when people need you, regardless of where on your journey you may be at the time. You may not always have answers or advice; being a sounding board for people when they are working through things may be just what they need. The big thing is to let them know that they are safe, cared for, and most importantly, being heard. I consider myself infinitely lucky to have these people, in all the different capacities we are in, and to have a role in their lives. I just hope I can do for them all the things they have done for me.
This kind of ties in with an impromptu conversation I had recently, mostly about a positive attitude, but also about the role I have with my son. As you may or may not know, my little guy is on the spectrum with Asperger's, and he is very much the biggest thing in my world! Seeing a little person with the struggles he has getting people to understand him really opened my eyes to so much, not the least of which is really listening to someone. This is not typically in the school setting, and this can make some pretty big waves in a developing mind. As a parent, and presumably as an educator, we need to remember that our job is not to create or build the person we want them to be, but to give them the tools and ability to become themselves. This is very crucial for all children, and it is also relevant when you see an adult struggling through something as well. They may not arrive at the same solutions you will, and they may have a very different path to discover things, but that's ok!
I guess that I'm really getting my teeth into such a milestone in my life, and my level of understanding, that I really want to express how grateful I am. Every conversation, every person I meet, and every moment I spend with my son has taught me so much, and really brought me some peace in my soul. It's a great world out there, with great people in it.
Anyway, here's some cool tunes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzQY7yRDil0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp2P6JKc1QE&list=RDxp2P6JKc1QE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgCiJNHgCJQ
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