Tacos, Nuts, and Food for Thought
Most days, I arrive at my job, rushed and frantic in spite of my best efforts to get up on the first alarm and my best intentions to not check my email before I roll out of bed.
I’m a work in progress on both accounts.
But when I enter my classroom every morning, my eyes automatically connect with three posters I’ve strategically placed to inspire my students when they walk in the room. My students need to see the words on the three posters. They’ve faced much adversity in their young lives, and sometimes they need some encouragement.
Lately, I find that I’m also in need of inspiration, and in those quiet moments before my students come through the door, I soak in the words of wisdom displayed on my back wall. I need to remember what’s written there, as a teacher, a military spouse, and a parent.
Mostly, I need to remember them as a flawed human being.
You might be wondering what words those three posters hold. I imagine, in many other classrooms, they’re words from renowned scholars and successful goal setters, and I’m proud to be a part of a profession that still believes words can inspire and motivate.
We just have to find the right words.
In my humble classroom located on the first wing of an alternative disciplinary high school, the words I chose to display are not meant to inspire in the traditional sense. My students don’t want to see “you can do it“ platitudes or “mind over matter” successories.
My kids need to see real. They need to see forgiveness, and they need to see mercy. My students are struggling, and they need to know it’s okay to struggle. And come to think of it… We all need to know it’s okay to struggle.
I’m grateful that I get to be in a room full of warriors with a little bit of the following wisdom:
Poster 1: It’s okay to fall apart sometimes; Tacos fall apart and we still love them.
This came from the most reliable of sources… A meme on Facebook! Let’s face it—life is messy, love is messy, and people are messy. Who doesn’t want to be loved in spite of their messiness?
My students have made mistakes, they’ve let their anger get the best of them, and they’ve had adults in their life fall apart as well. At the end of the day, they need to know they’re loved. This holds true for everyone. We all need to know that, when the smoke clears and the crazy has subsided, someone will still love us.
Poster 2: The greatest Oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
My students love this one. The imagery alone makes them smile.
Most of us remain stuck where we are because we give up too easily. Sometimes it’s hard to see the far off goal through the pain and discipline of the present.
I try to emphasize to my students that sometimes it takes more strength to stay the course and be patient for the growth “a mighty oak” needs. But, it will be worth it.
This poster has special meaning to me as a military spouse. In 2009, a good friend of ours was killed in action, and my daughters and I planted a fledging oak tree in his honor. We called the tree “Mr. Nathan’s Tree.” It’s grown into a mighty force 10 years later, with roots strong enough to disrupt my sprinkler system. My students like this story. They like knowing their stubbornness is a desirable soft skill when used correctly.
Poster 3: Falling down is an accident, staying down is a choice.
We all find ourselves in a position of starting over. That careless word or that split-second decision led us to a place that seems dark and unyielding. It doesn’t matter how far we fell; we can always choose to get up. Sometimes it’s easier to escape into binge-watching or binge-eating while we’re lying on the floor trapped by our poor choices.
We have to stop wallowing in our misery and get up. We’re often so hard on ourselves and chastise ourselves for shortcomings, and that only keeps the burdens we’re carrying heavy and hurtful.
Throw them off, lighten the load, and get back up! I tell my students that there’s beauty in the fight, and my kids love a good fight.
And that’s okay because to not fight is to give up, and no one needs to give up.
Love your tacos, be the nut, and get back up.
