Most US schools these days start up after summer vacation some time in August. Whether this is a moment of liberation or incarceration, the end of an adventure or the beginning of one depends not only on whether you are a child or a parent, but also on the perspective you bring to your education.
How do you pursue learning as an adventure?
What could be lovelier, more perfect, than a view through the trees to a white, sandy tropical beach? Of course, once you were on the beach you would face the danger of sunburn, and perhaps poisonous jellyfish lurk in the clear water. But for a moment, in a glimpse through the trees, it’s possible to see only the vision of loveliness, shining there like a perfect gem.
Who or what will you allow yourself to see as a vision of loveliness, setting aside all flaws for a moment for a glimpse of shining perfection?
This telescope requires the viewer to put in quarters in order to get the eagle’s-eye view of their surroundings. But there are other forms of seeing clearly that are also not without cost. When issues such as racism, climate change or economic injustice come into focus for us, then we must face the price of figuring out how we will respond—or the price of knowing that we have seen injustice and done nothing.
What price have you been willing to pay to respond to the injustice that you’ve seen?
“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”
―Mahatma Gandhi
What does your soul long for?
Is time spent in the valley a time of boredom and simply plowing through until one reaches the beauty of the distant mountains? Or are the flatlands a time of ease and rest before you come to the rugged heights? Is it better to keep your eyes fixed on the horizon of a distant goal, or is it better to stay focused on the place where you are, even if it’s not so glamorous?
How would you describe your current location in your life’s journey?
