One of those days...

Today has been one of those days that I remember why I love teaching...

I spent a lot of time this weekend forgiving the strong-arming that I experienced from my administrators, recently, on something I was in good faith on...and forgiving the strong-arming that I experience, generally, in a whole host of situations...recognizing, especially after our tutoring situation at school, that many people do this in good faith, even if they also act far too cynically much of the time...

And forgiving it even when it is in bad faith since I have no interest in being miserable my whole life being angry about things that I can't control...

And doing something about the things I can...

So today I came into work...after very little sleep (Melissa and I got into this really stupid, really foolish fight, last night, and we were up half the night with it)...with this really wonderful sense of peace...and so much love and appreciation for my kids and my colleagues...

And today went amazing...

After the last half of last week having the kids acting worse than ever...

Today...the first day back from the weekend...the kids were really amazing in every class I taught or worked in, today...it was really quite the sight to behold, really...being quiet...working hard...taking school seriously...it was really an amazing day...

And then, I volunteered for the After School Program, today...and I got to spend some quality time with two of my more difficult kids...doing work with them...and asking them about their futures...and what they want to do with them...and giving them so many opportunities that they could access with their respective strengths of math and social studies...

And I found myself wanting to spend more time...with even my most difficult students...and thinking about being a father...and how much this job really has prepared me to be a pretty outstanding father, I hope...

Which was my most important goal when I turned 18 and left my family's home for college...

I think I'm over my bout of recent cynicism...two weekends of resentment and anger about the whole ordeal has helped me move past it and to embrace myself and the world for all of my and its faults...even the most ugly and vindictive and inhumane...there just is no perfection in the world, I've learning to accept better and better...

There is only better and better...

Last night's fight with Melissa did get to me reflect on how good a friend Melissa has been...how she's stuck by me through a lot of thick as well as thin...how she's listened to so much that I needed to share with someone -- live, not just written -- and experienced my ugliest moments as well as my better moments...and how I've done the same...how much I love her...and how I much I want the best for her, even if that doesn't mean a love connection for the two of us...

I heard a really interesting analysis of why so many many people defend the rule of law, today, that I thought was its most persuasive argument...

It's the argument that Thomas Jefferson made so many years ago...how we are a nation of laws rather than men...because the rule of law ensures that a world where the strong cannot oppress and exploit the weak...where might does not make right...

Unfortunately...despite that very decent sentiment...the reality of law is that it too is used by the strong to oppress and exploit the weak...codified child marriage in Iranian law comes to mind, here...as does the laws that allowed the Nazis to slowly decimate Jews in Germany and Eastern Europe...and the numerous laws that have oppressed and repressed and imposed the will of some group or some majority on individuals and minorities throughout the history of humanity and still today...

The guy who was making the argument...in a report on a smaller country taking on the U.S. around internet gambling...

Was right...that might should not make right...

But he was wrong...that laws make right...

They do not...unfortunately...and very often, they make wrong...

Too many laws and too often...are yet another way for might to swagger as right...

When the only thing that makes right...

...is right...

Period...

Law...or not...

Today was a day I wanted to share with Brandi...all of our dreams being realized in just one school day...and the hope and potential for more...and the world very much working in the right direction...even despite itself, much of the time...

Today was a day that made me proud to be a teacher...and reminded me how important this work is...even as my policy work waits in the wings...
even as there is other and perhaps more important work in the world...

Then again...perhaps there is no more important work in the world...

Perhaps we just need more people taking it more seriously...

That's my dream, at least...a world where more people take education...schools...thought...important action...more seriously...

And where more people feel more apart of those worlds...and where the world feels more comfortable with those who have not felt as comfortable with school and the world of serious endeavor, in the past...

A world where everyone is included...

Because...because it's good for all of us...to care about one another...no matter who we are...

That is the commitment of my life...

And I'm pretty damned clear that there's no work more important than that...

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

Florida and UCLA in the NCAA Finals...

We saw Crash again, last night, which I liked better this time, even if I'm clear as a bell that it was not in the least the Best Picture of 2005...so many better movies...and a movie that cynically exploits the issues of race and poverty and crime, in so many ways, with so much cynicism directed, irresponsibly, at the LAPD, in particular...not a bad movie...but definitely not the Best Picture...

Benny and Joon, on the other hand, is a really beautiful picture from the 90's that I hadn't seen until last night...whatever happened to Aiden Quinn?...and Mary Stuart Masterson?...beautiful movie...not the deepest story of humanity, necessarily...but a beautiful movie, nevertheless...

I hope whatever you spend your time doing this week enlightens and fulfills you as much as my day has enlightened and fulfilled me:):):)...

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

Love,
Ben