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Thank You, Wes


Yesterday was 9/11. Throughout the day people posted status updates that have to do with remembrance. All were respectful, somber, and full of the memory of that horrible day. Yet, they were also different. Some focused on remembering people who died on that awful day, while others took it one step further and reminded us we were all affected. The one that grabbed my attention and my thoughts was written by my friend, Wes Stover. “The only way to heal the still gaping and bleeding nine year old wound of this day is forgiveness, reason, love and peace.”

Throughout the day, I kept thinking of what he had written and how forgiveness, reason, love, and peace can change the way we view the world around us. Now to figure out how to share that lesson with my students….

Yesterday in class, we were talking about problems in their world both close to home and in the world at large. (We were brainstorming topics for a problem/solution essay.) One of the boys piped up, “Obama is ruining our country.” As I was going deeper with the student having him get more specific, another student pipes up, “He is a Muslim.” The classroom volume went up 200 decibels as the discussion continued and kids on both side of the issue tried to be heard. (So much different from my class in Colorado where the majority of them were all about Obama.) As I reminded them we were not going to make it personal and our classroom was a ‘kind zone’ another student wanted to share a joke she heard in church. When I asked her if it was school appropriate, she said it would be better if she shared it with me another time.  Many people I love dearly portray what I think of the qualities a Christian should exhibit. Yet, I was saddened when hearing that jokes inappropriate for school are being told in church. When we lose sight of loving everyone around us, what does that mean for our world? Our country? Our communities? Our schools? How can we turn the attitudes of so many around to forgive? To know the contentment of peace? I believe it can be done through the way we live our lives. Through example. I am making it my goal to show not only my students, but also everyone I come in contact with the forgiveness, reason, love and peace that Wes mentions in his status update.

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