This has been a really tough week for me personally. My uncle has been in hospital since last Saturday and because my aunt and uncle don’t have kids, I have assumed much of the responsibility.
So needless to say that after committing to JOY as my #Oneword for 2020, it has been incredibly difficult to find joy this week. It has been a really tragic week for my students too as some of whom had friends on the Iranian plane that crashed. And I know so many people who live in Australia.
One thing that shone brightly in my social media feed was a post by Tamara Letter who shared a poster created by a grade four boy named Jack. If you look closely, there is black writing but the only thing that shines through is the light. It made me weep and forced me to shift my perspective.
This week Gr 4 Ss created digital kindness posters using @PicCollage & @Seesaw. Of all the wonderful designs they made, this one grabbed my heart. (Notice the words written on the black background.)
Always remember that light prevails. ❤️ #passionforkindness #radiate #tlap pic.twitter.com/uiD4VETCq5
— Tamara Letter (@tamaraletter) January 11, 2020
It’s not a new message. My friend Dwayne Samuel, in the Light Ceremony at our Muskoka Woods retreat every September reminds our grade 9s that even in the darkest room, a tiny light can pierce the darkness. But it came at the exact moment I needed it.
Later that evening, as I walked to the elevator to go home, I stood transfixed as a family gathered around a loved one singing a hymn. I could not recognize the language, but I didn’t need to. It was powerful and beautiful and it exuded love and hope. It was a small sliver of light in my day that I held close to my heart on the long drive home.
Yesterday, I looked through pictures of my uncle with my kids and nieces and nephews and found joy there. And although this week will be even tougher, there is a certain calm and inner peace that comes from knowing that someone you care about will find refuge from his suffering.
On a different but related professional note, George Couros shared a podcast called 4 Ways to not Let Others Dim your Light. The original post was one of my favourites and listening to George share the ideas in it this week on my drive was great. Check it out here.
I wish you peace and light this week.
Jen
