Mary’s Minute

“The sun and moon shine on all without partiality.”

                                                                ~ Confucius

I was so grateful today for sunshine after several gloomy days - and now tonight to enjoy a beautiful full moon.  Sunshine is a blessing, and sunrises are gorgeous.  I admit, I get more excited about the moon and a beautiful moonrise.  Maybe because a full moon comes just once a month (or every Blue Moon, twice like this month) and we have the hope of sunshine every day.  Maybe because the sun is so bright it doesn’t appear to be special, but the moon seems to light up a dark sky 

Confucius reminds us that we are all living under the same sun and the same moon.    Through the last several months when we have felt some defeat, the sun has come up, and the moon has been there for us – for all of us.  Despite our differences, we all live under the same sun and moon. 

The sun and the moon are always there for all of us.  They are not always visible, but they are always there.  It is up to us to see them – to see the light, to see the hope and to remember that just as the sun and moon are impartial, we can be too. 

Go out and check out the beautiful moon, and this weekend enjoy the sunshine.  The moon and the sun are there for us to give us hope and for us to remember the light.  

                                                Have a great week!

                                                                 Mary

10-23-2020

 

Mary’s Minute

“Every new concept first comes to the mind in a judgment.”  ~ Charles Sanders Peirce

“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  ~ Socrates

 

Judgment is part of the learning process.  To create new ideas, we first need to analyze old ones.  At the same time, I am working to be slow to judge people.  I found these three quotes that when read together, perfectly reflect what I am trying to say. 

Judging is important, but what is equally important is that we judge (and discuss) ideas, not people.  When we can separate the two and pursue judgment of ideas, we can create a culture of learning that is also kind and compassionate. 

I want to try to be slow to judge people, always giving them the benefit of the doubt, in order to practice kindness.  I also want to focus more on judging ideas so that I can learn and grow.  This may be pretty simple, but for me it was somewhat revolutionary.  I was saying to myself, “Don’t judge.  Don’t judge.”  But then it occurred to me, if I am not judging/analyzing how can I learn?  It isn’t rocket science – judge ideas, not people. 

           

                                                            Have a great week!

                                                                        Mary

10-16-2020

Mary's Minute

"Grace will take you places hustling won't."

                                                        - Brené Brown

I have always believed in the power of hard work or "hustling," but this year more than ever I am seeing the power of also giving ourselves grace.  One definition of grace is, "courteous goodwill," and we certainly believe in giving others courteous goodwill, so why not give it to ourselves?  For instance, my goal is to write Mary's Minute on Fridays, but this week I decided to give myself the grace to wait until Saturday.

This has been a year like no other, and I think every one of us has our unique struggles.  Being understanding with ourselves is not a permission to make excuses, but simply treating ourselves with the same kindness we would show to others, recognizing that our feelings and confusion are real. 

In being kind to ourselves and others, I think we will see that we will go places that hard work alone cannot take us.  

The next time we are feeling overwhelmed, sad, confused, or even angry, let's try to remember how we would treat someone else with those emotions.  My guess is that we would want to treat them with courteous goodwill, so please give yourself the grace also!

                                                                        Have a good week!

                                                                                    Mary

10-9-2020

 

Mary’s Minute“Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

“Correction does much, but encouragement does more.”

                                                                      ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Critical feedback is an important part of growth.  We learn from our mistakes.  Assessment is important part of the learning process, as teachers provide feedback to help students learn and grow.  Correction does much…

But encouragement does more.  At the beginning of the school year, I asked staff members what they needed from me.  Many said, encouragement. 

Although we strive for internal motivation that helps us depend less on positive reinforcement from others, at the very least we all appreciate praise/reinforcement/encouragement. 

I am grateful for the encouragement I get from others, and I am motivated to do better. 

I see more than ever that people are struggling right now.  I want to encourage my friends and family – and even those outside my immediate circle.  What people are doing right now to not only survive, but thrive, is nothing short of amazing. 

 My goal is to see all the good in others and remember to tell them! 

                                                            Have a great fall break!

                                                                                     Mary

 

10-2-2020

 

Mary’s Minute“Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do, but it doesn’t get you anywhere.”

“Choices are the hinges of destiny.”

                                                  ~ Edwin Markham

I feel like in many ways we have been in limbo for the last 6 months since the pandemic started.  It doesn’t feel like we are choosing much of anything, but rather just “being.”  It feels at times that we are just holding on and not choosing. 

 What we need to remember is that by not choosing, we are still choosing.  Doing nothing is a passive choice.  I am not an economics theory expert, so my oldest son might correct me on this, but I think there is a parallel between making no choice and opportunity cost.  By not choosing, what are we losing?

 Life is full of choices – active and passive.  We need to choose wisely, and also remember that things we do and things we don’t do are choices.

 This continues to be a challenging time, and I am amazed at the positivity I see every day!  I want to remember that I need to make active choices, and not just passively let the world make choices for me because no choice is a choice. 

                                                    Have a great week!

                                                                      Mary