AMAZEMENT

I must remember – and help my students remember – that human miracles are sitting at the tables during each of my classes. Strangely, I fear that the kids and I are sometimes oblivious to these miracles. Each of us is a ceaseless wonder, and yet I’ll bet we often pass the minutes of my class in ignorance of this, as though what’s present is relatively unexciting instead of thoroughly astonishing. We’re in the presence of many human Grand Canyons, and yet we act (at least sometimes) like we’re not especially interested. Somehow, I have to let the students know, and remind myself, that human life is an never-ending spectacle. As we sit in my classroom day after day, each of us is an ever-renewing fountain of ideas – ideas that seem to come from nowhere and are as wide and undying as the sky. Each of us will be transformed every moment, totally re-made with a brand new idea. The Grand Canyon is an apt analogy. If my students and I were visiting the actual Grand Canyon, we would be thrilled from start to finish, and yet...there is splendor enough in every one of my classes on Barnes Road to surpass a dozen Grand Canyons. There’s the endless birth of ideas. There’s wisdom as astounding as sheer, mile-deep cliffs. There are innumerable thoughts as compelling as canyon winds. Truly, my students and I should keep our eyes wide open in wonder.