Teaching is one of the most noble professions known. Good teachers can be trained and given tools; but to be excellent
an teacher, a person learns to use the tools and training to create a inspirational environment that leads to academic success
for all students. An excellent teacher can never be paid what they are truly worth. Yet, no teacher can be all things
to all students. Ultimately, the responsibilty to learn is the student's. The teacher facilitates, promotes, inspires
learning. The student must do the mental work required to learn.
Life is not fair. We typically don't say that unless we feel we have been treated "unfairly". But if you
can read this, if you have access to the technology to access this, if you have food and clothing, you shouldn't complain.
Most of human kind would consider you to have more than your fair share. It is how we deal with the difficuties and
the "unfair" events that determine the person we are.
Everyone is important and valuable and deserves to be treated as such, but that means no one is more important or more
valuable than anyone else. Life should be lived in a balance between what we need/want and what the community needs/wants. Self
discipline, integrity, and generosity are important parts of this balance.
We talk of peace and fairness and long for a kinder, gentler world; but what do we do in our part of the world to make
it better? Terrorists, politicians, leaders, etc. can not fix everything wrong in the world. We
are responsible for our little part: the halls where we pass others, the parking lot where we look for a place to park,
the roads where we drive when we're hurried, the stores where we shop, the homes where we go after work and school, the groups
where we stand while someone is insulted or maligned, etc. Are the places you go better places because you've been there?
Are people blessed by your presence or do you bring hurt and confusion? I want to make the world a better place even
if my sphere of influence is a very small. Is your part of the world better because you are there?
