First day of school...

Amazing day:):)...a great faculty:):)...amazingly well-behaved kids:):)...what a far better job these teachers do with these kids than teachers did in my day:):)...as incredible a job as my teachers did:):)...

I can see...my day is coming...kids from this generation are going to kick my lilly white ass:):):)...great kids:):)...

Can I say that I am a remarkably kick-ass teacher, though?:):):)...I still have so much to learn:):)...and so much that I'm learning from these teachers, in particular:):):)...

But I am a teaching motherfucker, is what I am:):):)...I did excellent, today:):):)...and I think that my colleagues recognized that:):)...

I'll write more about it, later:):)...

But...for now:):)...I've got to sleep:):)...so I can wake up at 5:30 to make the commute:):)...

I hope everyone gets to work somewhere as supportive and productive and purposeful and inspired as my job at Eisenhower Middle School:):):)...

And if not...go find that job...noone should spend their days doing anything less than something they love with all their heart:):):)...

You know what the best thing is about this kind of job...about this job...for me?...

That I think I'm finally finding myself able to...genuinely...despite so many disappointments in this regard that I can hardly count them...to make some peace...and...down the line...make some final peace, I hope...with the fact...

That we are all just human beings...with limitations...

And that...not matter how hard we try...though we can get better...

That is all that any of us...no matter what struggles or hardship that we might go through...and no matter what the shares of responsibility on this...

That is all that any of us can be...

And as heartbreaking as that can often be...given how shitty we treat each other, sometimes...

That this is the only fate that we have...no matter how hard we try...no matter how much or how little responsibility that any of us take...though its so much clearer to me, now, that some of us take far, far more responsibility than others:):):)...

That this is the end of the road, in this respect...

And that the only way forward for humanity...is the more we recognize and accept this...sincerely...and commit ourselves to our own learning and growth, accepting those limitations...

And that...paradoxically...the more we accept those limitations...the more we learn and grow:):):)...as individuals:):):)...and as a human family:):):)...

And a heartfelt thank you to every teacher, coach, parent, family member, friend, lover, and otherwise decent person in my life who has ever practiced or even tried to practice that kind of acceptance of my own limitations and humanity in my own lifetime:):):)...I love you all...and I really appreciate your patience and love and wisdom and compassion and appreciation for me and my efforts and limitations:):):)...

Have a great week, everyone:):):)...

Love,
Ben