Finding Your Center

"All too often we are giving young people cut flowers when we should be teaching them to grow thier own plants." John W. Gardner, Educational Philosopher

"Let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't . . .if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. Love from the center of who you are." Romans 12: 5-10 (Msg)

Nine weeks to resurrect a poet's dream
crisp piles of paper stapled and stacked
became moments of beauty, fantasy, and laughter
rehearsals in a bare wooden box
grew into a forest with dusk and dawn
puzzling language danced off the pages
when they stepped onto the stage
chicken wire and sticky scraps of yesterday's headlines
were sculpted into a waterfall
sewing machines, hot glue, hammers, drills
were easels for their artist eyes and hearts
regal poise crept into their walks week by week
You and I knew they were always royalty
diguised in t-shirts, jeans, sneakers, and a little self doubt
As the ultimate Director of all of us
I often wonder how we change Your countenance as they have mine
Do You sigh, laugh, wince, and grin at our antics?
Just before curtain call, Puck says he will "restore amends"
but You and I both know there is only One who can truly restore
thank You for teaching me to love them
from the center of who I am
when a mid-fall play blossomed into
a midsummer night's dream