December 31, 2016
It's New Year's Eve and I sit at my desk thinking about the New Year and the resolutions I will or should make. To be honest, I know that they will probably not be kept, and at my age, I'm not sure I can come up with anything new. As I contemplate, my eyes glance at the cards that sit atop my desk, and as I look at each, I see the inspiration to guide me into the new year.
Firstly two small cards say Thank you! One is from a person who just wanted to express thanks for my being there. It reminds me that taking some time to put aside my personal agenda will benefit others in ways that I could never imagine. My own "busyness" at times makes me forget to do this - perhaps in 2017 I will learn that busyness is not a virtue and that I need to make time to listen to others and more importantly say and write "Thank you" to the many people who impact my life. The second card comes from a teacher I mentored who now has returned to China to work in a new school. She tells me that my experience and mentoring has enabled her to be prepared for her new role; I loved working with her and I am glad that she is taking the message to her students. So my next resolution will be to remember to pass on what I know as it is simply the chain of knowledge so that others do not need to learn the hard way or recreate the wheel.
Another favorite card quotes a proverb: "The world is full of cactus but you don't have to sit on it." I probably need to learn from this EVERY SINGLE DAY! Because the "cactus" comes in all shapes and sizes. There is the traffic cactus, the people cactus, the latest craze and thing to do cactus - but I need to exercise wisdom and understanding to be aware that I don't always have to engage. For this, I need to have confidence in my strengths and my point of view to be aware that I can sit beside the "cactus" (like the picture on the card) and examine if this cactus is worth engaging - or not! This resolution requires me to have a reflective attitude, to consider what I have learned from experience, and to see if this is something that will provide a productive outcome - because if not, it is probably best not to waste the time and energy trying to find out how to engage with the cactus while remaining unscathed by the thorns. I will not give in to the latest idea and fads; I will choose what is worthy of my time and talents, what is best for me, my students and their learning.
The next card sends a message that is the antithesis of the previous one: "Ever notice that 'what the hell' is always the right decision?" (Unknown Hollywood script writer) I don't really agree that it is always the right decision for me, but occasionally I need to abandon my prosaic life-style and seize the day or the opportunity and live for the moment.
The final card that inspires me is my favorite with a quote from Marcel Proust: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Each year I have discovered it is important to have new eyes: to be open to new experiences, to be willing to learn new things, to be willing to engage on topics beyond my comfort zone or to broaden my sphere of knowledge on a particular aspect of life, language teaching, or topic that interests me. "New eyes" remind me that I learn and continue to grow as a person as I observe and remain alert to what is happening around me.
And so I will decide to let these resolutions once again be my guides for the new year. Perhaps this year, I will finally get it right!
