“Scrappy’s death feels like the mark indicating the ending of my childhood”

-Benjamin Conn

I never want to outgrow the qualities that they bring to our relationship. I continue to learn from them. My students show generosity and patience with one another more so than not. Needing a writing utensil, sharing warm sweaters and coats, offering to share their lunch with one another when a lunch is forgotten. Remaining consistent with one another by showing simple acts of kindness,

The spirit of Sankofa encompasses taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present to make progress in the future.

Activities that you wish to do in the future, any experiences, dreams and passions - write them all down. Once you have a plan firmly rooted in your mind, you probably won’t even need to think about it again.

The Life Force speaks constantly—­not in words, but through events. You can feel it as an undeniable presence guiding you. More commonly, you’ll feel its presence for brief moments, usually in reaction to a deeply moving event: the birth of a child, the act of falling in love, or a trip to a faraway place that awakens something deep within you.

Right now we are celebrating the seasonal change with the falling of snow, and the colorful lights, not to mention the music and the food within the homes and workplace. Some of us may find ourselves fighting very hard to maintain that spirit not only for our own sake but for the sake of those we love and care for.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

I remember a seasoned mom telling me,“The friends you make here, you will have for the rest of your life.”