In the 90s I was part of an incredible team that created an alternative high school for children labeled “at risk”.  Children become at risk when there are no adults willing to care for the heart and spirit of the child. The school was successful for many students, and every successful student at sometime during their enrollment would invariably make two comments: “I never worked this hard at the high school,” and “The teachers at the high school never cared about me like they do here.”

Standardized achievement based on intellectual performance, successes based on comparison with the performance of others, and value measured by what can be purchased ignores the spirit and heart. Perpetuation of this paradigm allows adults to ignore the spirit of children and eventually shift the blame for failure to the children themselves.

I recently attended a benefit event for a small local modern dance company led by Thom Lewis. During the evening there was a short performance by an ensemble of upper elementary students Thom teaches as part of a grant sponsored arts in education program. At the performance end, the kids gathered around Thom just as my young soccer players do at the end of a practice or game. As Thom congratulated them on their character to step up and perform so well, the young dancers (beings) listened to the praise they knew they had earned and were excited in the moment.  As I witnessed this scene I was close to emotional tears of happiness, realizing not just the rich humanity of the moment but in the knowing that I also have the opportunity to impact the heart and spirit of the young girls I coach on the soccer pitch. It was sad that in Thom’s plea for donations to the arts in education program that he had to sight studies that showed students receiving artistic experiences perform better on standardized tests, as if that was necessary to justify caring for the heart and spirit of the children’s experience.

Those who care for the heart and spirit of the children are not valued in the financial paradigms of our society. They are typically individuals that have a very modest lifestyle and a very rich experience of life. However, consider that they too are “at risk” in a society that values materialism. Their saviors are the children that love them for caring.

Guarding and preserving the spirit and hearts of children is a delicate process that requires attention, lots of attention.

“The most powerful information is an image, a picture. A good picture produces feel and feel produces trust.”

“Do you see the progression?”  he said “First you must see; second , you feel; third you trust.”

I am reading the first book my young golfer friend and Pilates student has recommended to me.  I instantly connect with this afternoon’s hour at the driving range, I easily draw up the image of a light green, level patch in the range some 270+ yards out and my last power fade that was driven to that landing. My memory runs forward into fantasy, now on the first tee at National with Nathan for the first time since acquiring new driver technology and a new feel at the range. I see a similar patch down the first fairway and drive a power fade into the image. I am excited inside and Nate chuckles and expresses approval.

And I respond…  As a high school senior playing basketball, the most searing image I have from that season some 34 years ago is a jump shot I took from the baseline at St. Mary’s. It was in flow, prefect rhythm and classic gooseneck follow through, and as it swooshed through the net I was SURPRISED that it went in. Twenty year late I was playing in a 3 v 3 tournament, one of the two over-the-hill teams competing against the young guns. It was the in the quarterfinals, in a close battle at a moment when we needed a score. I took my player off the dribble then pulled up for a fade away 3 pointer, I never thought is wasn’t going in, it was Jordanesque. As it swooshed through the net the young opponents were in disbelief, the wind cut from their sails. The only difference between these two shots in my life was the trust.

As this fantasy in my head is playing out an acid jazz tune has come on my ipod shuffle…

“Believe in yourself, your convictions will guide you. Challenge your fears; realize dreams inside you. This is the right time to find inspiration, open your heart build a spiritual foundation. Changes come with time; changes always come in time, you got to keep your stride, got to elevate your mind. Elevate your love, keep rising above; changes always come in time, got to elevate your mind….. Open your mind there is a world deep with in you. You can achieve if you keep on believing. Challenge your fears cuz this is the right time: Trust in yourself don’t give up the fight now. Changes come with time, you got to keep your stride.

Wow, that was a weird synchronicity.

Trapped by fears and frustrations you will only see the darkness.

Fear is the emotion of panicked helplessness that is associated to the perception of danger.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

All that remained at the end of the day was the TSA 96 girls red

Enthralled & entranced I traveled her URLs and blog postings. Falling into her lifestreaming, I fantasize on crafting my own Internet vessel and launching into the sea.

It would appear that this vessel needs to carry a large casting net of webpages, blogs and associations to capture the surfing Interneter.

Hmmm.......where might this ship take me?

bon voyage,
steven

can you hear me now?