Hey, Hey, Hey!

A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein, 1954)

Yay, Albert! I like his Buddhish, Paganish pantheism. I remember the rumor floating around when I was in college that Einstein believed in a personal god and so therefore it must be so. I'm no genius, but this doesn't sound exactly like the proof the rumor touted.

On another note, I'm feeling the tiredness associated with bleak midwinter and with getting up before the godawful break of dawn. Enough that I've started shopping around for SAD lamps to trick my body into thinking it's getting more light than it does. By evening I'm dragging my feet and keeping my eyes open with clothes pins.  My kids, too, look like racoon-eyed waifs. Tomorrow is my last work day and I really think I shall crawl into my den and sleep off the holy/holly season. See ya February 2nd!

I had the chance to be inspired and enthused about my chosen profession yesterday. Tim Rasinsky of reading fluency fame came to talk shop with the 2nd grade teachers of Alpine School District. He was dynamic and a champion of authentic, enjoyable learning that embraces the arts, poetry, and inspires kids not just to be good, fluent readers, but decent human beings as well. This is where I want my focus to be as a teacher, not on pumping out good little workers for some freakish world economy of the future. It's poetry recital day today and my students are ready to pull this off with aplomb! Parents have been invited. Cookies and apple juice are on hand. Some of my most struggling of readers recite their verse with feeling and inflection. I can wake up out of this pre-Solstice sleepiness for that. Then one more day. Yawn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzq-tZ17a-Q