Lean Into It

The other day I was enjoying a video with my kids. The movie was the animated picture “Vivo”. I bring this up because one of the songs references the attitude resiliency. Not only is the song catchy, but the lyrics have deep meaning:  Living through the challenges are thrown at us. To borrow a phrase from the Marines, improvise, adapt and overcome. One of the lyrics states, “And all I can do when the tank’s run dry, is see what’s in reserve. And all I can do when the plans break down, is stay on my feet.” The more I thought about it, the more I thought about our profession.  When our tanks run dry, we somehow find a bit more in reserve to take on the next challenge. Many of us face 12 to 15 hour days on activity nights, and though fatigue sets in, we find more in reserve to push through and finish the night. How many times have you planned a lesson that broke down at the very beginning?  You could not just stop and go home. You have to improvise, stay on your feet, adapt to the situation and push through until the end of the period.  The art of being resilient: being able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. No doubt that is what we learn in education. Another lyric in the song is my favorite, “All I can do when the road bends, is lean into the curve.” Not only taking what is coming at you, but actively responding with enthusiasm. In other words, bring it on. Have a most exceptional weekend. Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ynairaly Simo - Keep The Beat).

Until next time...