Welcome back readers! Naturally, a million things have been going on in life that have slowed my blogging habit to a snail's pace. However, one of those things has resulted in me observing a myriad of beautiful people to write about. Don't let my title throw you. I do know the context of the quote, however, it is the only analogy I can use to describe this week's entry. (For those of you unfamiliar with Taming of the Shrew, the line is in reference to hatred, but the metaphor for passion was my aim.) I just returned from Texas after having attended a conference full of other teachers wanting to learn the International Baccalaureate Program. The program is centered around self-directed learning, and international mindedness. These people are literally from all over the world and are passionate about what they do. I was inspired and influenced by all those I met, and everything I learned. It is actually difficult to decide which beautiful encounter to write about! The one that is currently standing out the most in my mind, is my instructor. She is actually someone people might recognize and will therefore be left anonymous (as is usual for my blogs ;-) ).
Dear Instructor,
I was entirely inspired by you over the past few days! Your beauty radiated through our small group and infused itself into anyone you encountered. Your passionate approach brought out the deepest beauty one could image; a beauty that was embodied in your warm smile, and twinkling eyes. The humor, compassion, and excitement that you shared with us endowed you with a unique and sacred type of beauty, that more people should aspire to attain. It is not often that we teachers are given the opportunity to become enlivened and reanimated about what we do, and you have certainly provided an experience that has accomplished both of these things.
My hope is that we may honor your display of beauty by paying it forward. Our students should be as inspired by something in their lives. It is my hope, that they will one day find beauty in the inspired and enlightened, instead of the vapid and superficial. You have made me see that my own beauty lies within my passion for my craft, and I hope to pass that gift on to my students, my children, and the others I encounter in this small world. We all have the capacity for that kind of luminous beauty, and I look forward to helping others discover theirs, as you have helped me discover mine.
Thank you for all you have done,
--Me
