it and promise ourselves to make
this year very special for ourselves
and others? Can we leave negative
thoughts and experiences behind
and concentrate on the New Year
before us? You know we all have
the power to do this.
among us for ourselves a com-
munity that reaches out to one
another and cares?
written by Dr. Robert McNeish. I
read it in wonderment and share it
with you.
"As each goose flaps its wings,
following. By flying in a "V" forma-
tion, the whole flock adds 71%
bird flew alone.
drag and resistance of trying to fly
alone, and quickly gets back into
formation to take advantage of the
"lifting power" of the bird immedi-
ately in front.
and another goose flies at the
point position.
up front to keep up their speed.
drop out of formation and follow
their fellow member down to help
provide protection. They stay with
this member of the flock until he
or she is either able to fly again or
dies. Then they launch out on their
catch up with their own flock."
reach out, for we are really one.
Let's make our environment a
community of one. This is a New
Year and we can accomplish this.
This is needed now. Happy, healthy
New Year everyone.
Thich Nhat Hanh's shares that
to truly love we must be fully
present. To feel loved is to feel
recognized. I see you. I hear you.
I value you. In an age where
eye contact has been replaced
with screens, and thoughtful
processing replaced with instant
feedback, the practice of being
fully present can be challenging.
Misunderstandings and unnec-
essary conflict is commonplace
in a time where multitasking
has become our norm. We are
quicker to react than mindfully
respond to our perceptions.
must practice detaching from
ego, from the self-protective bar-
riers that trigger us to confront
or avoid and shut down and that
negativity.
detach from the negative narra-
tive in your mind and check in
by sharing your perception. First,
ensure that what you believe to
be true is, in fact, true BEFORE
reacting. Instead of saying, "You
always ignore me! You don't
care about me!" try, "When I
talk to you and you're looking
at your phone, it makes me feel
as though you don't care about
what I am saying." It is essential
to focus on the behavior and
not the person. Behaviors can
change! Most people do not
want conflict; neither do they
wish to make others feel bad.
to practice making those we love
that we do see, hear and value
them. In doing so, we will be
honoring our best selves and our
relationships.
was hon-
ored as
this year's
winner of
the Mid-
dle/High
School
Teacher
Creative Non-fiction Writing
Award by the Norman Mailer
Center in partnership with the
National Council of Teachers
of English. More than 3,000
middle and high school teach-
ers and students applied.
$5,000 during the Mailer
Center awards celebration
at the Pratt Institute in
Brooklyn, New York, where
Norman Mailer lived for
more than 40 years.
and writers. They were judged
by the artful treatment of
subject matter; originality;
quality of insight, voice, and
style; artful arrangement of
elements and materials; and
overall aesthetic, emotional,
or intellectual effect.
mitted to a panel of distin-
guished authors selected by
the Norman Mailer Center,
who chose the winning
writers.