Proximity provides Clarity

I had the pleasure of hearing some of our high school students perform with Foreigner last night. While I previously had an appreciation for many of the songs, after seeing them in concert, I find myself enjoying the music so much more. This was my experience after attending the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert and after seeing the musical “Six.” Something about being live, up close, and in-person changes things.

I went to the dermatologist this week, and I saw a beat up white car circling the building many many times. It finally parked right by the door,l. As I walked by the car to enter, an elderly woman stopped me to ask for help getting into the building and into the same dermatology office suite. She was on oxygen, out of breath, and moving slowly. As she checked in, the lady at the counter asked her if she had family that could be listed in case of emergencies. She indicated that she herself was 82, and she had no one left except for her sister who was in her 90’s and in a nursing home. She then proceeded to look for a seat in the waiting room. There were many open, but she found me and asked if she could sit next to me, indicating that I was “her guardian angel.”

When she said she had no one, it made me realize how lonely she must be. I feel so fortunate that when I go to the doctor, I’m going to get well. When other people go to the doctor, they are also going to be seen. They are going for care and connection.

The same is true in our schools. Some kids go to school to learn. Some go to school to be loved. And all of us need both in the end. The same is true for the adults. Some come to work to do their job. Others come to work for care and connection. And all of us need both in the end.

And this truth can be hard see and appreciate from far away. It’s easy to make assumptions about what is happening with schools or with people if you don’t move closer to get a better look. This is why it’s important for us to leave our offices and district offices to spend time with the good, hardworking people in schools. There are so many incredible things happening in classrooms and schools. There are also significant challenges that people are facing in this complex educational landscape. And until we move closer, we can’t fully understand, appreciate, and partner together on solutions.

This concept of proximity along with strategies that nourish our us-ness is woven throughout Legacy of Learning. It’s important and a fairly basic concept, and yet it’s often the first thing to go when things get heavy and challenging.

But without each other, we have nothing. So, let’s move closer to have each other. Really have each other.

Let’s make a point to spend time together. Let’s make a commitment to work on the work together.

And let’s enjoy the music we are making.

Together.