“Keep your face to the sun and you cannot see a shadow.” – Helen Keller
Once in a while I get a phone call that makes it worth being late for lunch. This past week I got a call from the mother of one of my former students. It turns out that they were in the area and asked if I would drop by the middle school to say, “Hello.” I let my lunch date know that I would be a little later than expected and headed over.
Justice and I do not have a typical student-teacher relationship. Last spring and summer, we spent several months together, at his home and at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Justice went through extensive treatment to address the effects of leukemia, and is now returning to school part-time. I did not know what to expect when I saw Justice, and I was amazed when I arrived.
Six months ago, when we met, Justice had put on weight and lost much of his hair. Even though he was often sleepy, his attitude was always positive. It was easy to work with Justice because he has a natural enthusiasm and interest in learning, to go along with a great sense of humor. The goal in our district is to meet our students where they are and facilitate them reaching their potential in all areas. Justice was no exception. We worked on assignment after assignment, and then my job was over and we went our separate ways.
Last week, when I walked into Culver City Middle School, I was amazed to see a vibrant, healthy young man smiling back at me. His body was finally catching back up with the wonderful young man that I had met half a year before. I was overwhelmed by the feeling in my chest as I witnessed the results of perseverance, love, great medical care, and all that went into supporting Justice in arriving at this point.
Sometimes we forget that life is moving in a positive direction. Our minds can get so caught up in the details and the struggles that we forget that life is on our side. The biggest challenge we face is to continue looking forward, and stepping into a brighter future for ourselves and those around us.
Keeping our thoughts moving in a positive direction is worth every bit of intentional effort it takes to do so. It often means releasing judgments that we have held against ourselves and others. It might also require us to let go of who we thought we were, so that we can open up to a more expansive vision of what we are becoming. Sometimes it is our trials that force us into this state of acceptance, though it does not have to be.
Seeing Justice was a great reminder that love works and that remaining hopeful is more than just foolish naiveté. No matter what you are facing, there is nothing to fear. Your mind might present many reasons to be afraid, and this is normal. It is important to remain open to help. There are always more people than you think, who are ready and willing to lend their gifts and talents to support you in amazing ways.
Stay receptive to new ideas and inspirations, and accept the help of others to assist you in staying positive. Letting go of doubt and despair is akin to shedding excessive physical weight, or releasing a habit that no longer serves you. You will come away feeling lighter, and more empowered. As hard as it may be to believe, we are all together in this life. We never know where our good will come from, so stay open to the miracle
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Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, to find out more go to www.DarrellandEd.com.
