Food for Thought

Food for Thought

Today was a good day for learning and raising self-awareness.
As usual, we had our year-end school-based workshop...and this morning's talk by Mr Jason Wong was the most heart-felt and inspiring ones I have heard in a long time.
I have been talking about change of mindsets and perspectives...and guess what, whatever he said somehow made all the right connections.

Who is Jason Wong?
Well, he was the man who probably transformed our prison systems into one with a heart...He spearheaded the yellow ribbon project...and was partly responsible for a transformational change in the way we give even the most 'hardcore' of people...a new lease in life.

There are many takeaways from his hour long speech. He claims not to be a motivational speaker, but he spoke from the heart...and the whole beauty of it all was that, all that he touched on...are relevant to the situation I face in school; and in life.

One of the most profound statements he said is this.
"Before you can start doing...you have to start seeing first."
Let me put this into context...We are often in a hurry to do and do a lot of things. But how many times have we been able to visualise the process and the outcomes we want in mind?

"I saw the angel trapped in stone, and I set him free" - Michelangelo, the sculptor, was able to see beyond the hard piece of marble, and loving carved his beautiful creation. How many of us may not be artistically gifted as him...but are we able to see beyond the physical side of things?

He posed something else as food for thought. How many times have we been able to 'see' the potential in our children...and students. Or are we sometimes held back by our own fixed mindsets.

Very often, the institution where I teach prides itself with the tag "a journey into refinement"...and that we feel our we have a noble job of a master craftman who carefully cuts and polishes gems. But...I question myself here...how much have I contributed to this belief? How much have my actions proved to be true to that statement?

If a change is to take place, it must begin with me.
So while I make this new journey...I must know the direction I want to take, and must not lose sight of the values that anchors me in life.

I am still in the process of making resolutions for 09. And today's talk has affirmed that I must not lose sight of the belief that there is good in each and every child who comes under my wing.

I think, under the yellow ribbon advertisments, there is this tag line "We must always look for the sparkle, even though we are trained to look for flaws!" Wow! Whoever came up with that, I salute you...for something so simple and meaningful. I hope that I will always be reminded of that when I find myself so worked up when face with challenges in class.

Hmmm...there are so many things I feel I want to write about.
But I shall leave them for another entry.

Dear God,
It's so amazing how you have shown me the light and your Nur in so many ways. Thank you for putting my mind at ease, and helping me prepare for the journey I am going to undertake. Grant me the self-awareness to be able to understand all that has happened, is happening, and will happen in Your grand scheme of things.
Ameen.