By: MJ
This post lists a few key life moments that had clearly shaped my direction after they occurred. Tragic events aside, these few moments provided a new outlook that had a long lasting impact. They are not in any particular sequence for this post. This current adventure was because we wanted change, yet it will likely cause us to change. It is good from time to time to reflect – to look back at how something distinct that occurred to you, changed who you are or what you did.
On the day we left Cusco we were sitting having a farewell toast and drink prior to boarding the bus that would take us to Bolivia. We had spent an entire month in Peru and had reached a turning point in this travel experience. Peru was a place that we were certain to visit, but in doing so we had found and experienced so much more than we anticipated. It showed us what could be ahead, and how to approach it.
On this particular evening AJ was on our tablet, watching some educational videos, and one of the categories was biographies. On the list was Hellen Keller, and it reminded me that her story was one of the distinct turning points in my life.
HELEN KELLER (Assist others)
I was at boarding school in the mid 80’s and I was in grade seven. In the East Wing boys’ dorm there was a small bookcase with maybe 50 books that we could just pull off the shelf and read. For some reason I picked up the book about Helen Keller – a small papeback book with a blueish cover if I remember correctly.
Her’s was a name I had never heard. I wasn’t into books besides things like encyclopedias at that age, but I remember reading that entire book. There is no other book I read that year that I could name the title of.
I was also one of the table heads in the dining room. At Table One we had a student who was blind. The timing of reading the book, his presence, and the challenges of helping him, shaped me. This probably led me towards becoming a teacher and then a therapist, and fostered an appreciation for those who make the best of everything despite missing something most of us take for granted.
“IT DOESN’T MATTER” (Be a decent person)
Maybe I was between 12 and 14 years old. I can’t quite remember. What I do remember is sitting on our beige leather couch, feet towards the wall, and Mum sitting on the other end. I have no recollection of what led to the discussion, but it was eventually about religion and what is important in life.
My mother said “It doesn’t matter what religion you are, as long as you are a good person”. At the time it seemed a good summary of the conversation, but over time that seed grew and became one of my core philosophies – not only in how I approached religion or morality or spiritualism, but in how I dealt with my fellow humans.
It’s probably not what she expected given her Catholic faith, but I appreciate the breadth of perspective it gave me in moving forward. Going to a Lutheran school (that educated us on other types of religions in contrast to Christianity, and on the dangers of cults) played a smaller yet significant role in cultivating the perspective I developed.
THE ONE INSERVICE THAT COUNTED (Modify yourself first)
I had been teaching less than a year in my first posting, which was at a small remote state school. There were inservices I had attended that year regarding learning about changes to the education system and implementing statewide testing. These were informational rather than transformational. On the advice of my principal, Bruce, I did an elective weekend course in Bundaberg. That course immediately changed my whole perspective on students, learning, education, and human relationships.
I cannot remember the title or the instructor’s name, but I recall that it was about classroom management and the instructor was an excellent presenter. It was two days in length, but worth every hour of instruction time.
The synopsis of the experience was this: Educators are facilitators, who have to personally separate themselves from (yet consistently and proactively respond to) the relentless challenges of their developing learners, to best serve those learners. Young learners endure different distractions than previous generations (unique to their generation), and are trying to find their way in a rapidly changing world under educators from different generations.
In a nutshell: If your class is hard to manage you are probably not managing yourself and/or are misunderstanding them, so stop discipling them and work out who you all are.
THERE’S ALWAYS A WAY THROUGH (Understanding resolve)
In 2001 my attention turned to taking a break from teaching and to riding a bicycle for 100 days mostly alone and isolated. During this time I faced and endured some challenging scenarios, but here I am.
Without getting into drawn out recollections, it was about mid trip that I had a few scenarios where a realization of resolve was formed and consolidated. On one particularly challenging weekend (June 2nd and 3rd: flat tyres, skipping chain, relentless terrain etc) I found myself trying to convince myself that there was a way through, when everything seemed to be going crappy. I was looking for an exit, but nothing I had on me could or would help.
I was stuck for ideas, but still pedaling. And that was the key.
A realization occurred that there was no physical exit point, no magic tool, and no help – there was only a mental process to seek an exit. Push on. However ugly, you have to accept to endure that process. Once accepted, it is just a matter of staying the course and making the best decisions in the prevailing circumstances.
If you stop the process and stop enduring, then that’s the end, and you won’t get through. That’s kind of scary. I was on my own, and every problem I had at the time was solely my own. So at that time, aloud, I started chanting a mantra for about 10 minutes, as I pedaled towards more forgivable circumstances and a clearer mind: “There’s always a way through.” This has since became a focus mantra for whenever parts of my world are crumbling.
ERNEST SHACKLETON (If you can demonstrate integrity, enough said)
I was early in my teaching career when I stumbled upon the story of Ernest Shackleton – an explorer from the golden age of the Antarctic. The unit I was teaching was about famous explorers and he was one I was not familiar with.
If you don’t know who he was, or what happened on the voyage of the Endurance, then look it up. It is the most incredible leadership and perseverance story I have ever read. The story is summed up by the perspective of someone immediately familiar with that era in Antarctica, Sir Raymond Priestley, who said “Scott for scientific method, Amundsen for speed and efficiency but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton”. The impression this story and person left on me was indelible. I still can’t fathom the human side of what he did, let alone the physical and mental side.
On our visit to the windy, rugged and remote region of Patagonia I was within 2300km of the island that he navigated to in order to raise the alarm of his ship and crew’s fate. There is awesome – then there’s totally awesome – and being that close was totally awesome.
I am grateful for these events and experiences. You can probably list off a number of such moments from your life – take a moment to recall and explain one (below in the comments, or to a person in the room with you). What guided you to who you are today?
To find out more about the first and last persons written about here, have a read of these titles:
(In making recommendations the site owner may receive a commission if a purchase is made on any of the following Amazon links.)
