As usual that was beautiful! Teachers who make a lifelong impact are so special! And important and needed. I love how your wise and beautiful hearted teacher embraced your weirdness as special. Aren’t we all weirdos🙈 I’ll put in a prayer request that my daughter Nikki finds the real Jesus after being in a church that condemns homosexuality and teaches wrong theology. Thankyou!
Jeff, thank you for the gift of your story about your beloved teacher, Mrs. Springer. That you remember her words of acceptance, belonging and recognition of who you are - that is a true gift of beauty and love. Thank you also for reminding us that our job is to help others find their belonging also 🙏🌈😻
Jeff, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Gosselin, taught me how to read. I love that woman! The school library became my favorite place. The smell of books, the crinkle of those cellophane covers on the dust jacket of each book, checking out (over and over) the book of Greek mythology.
And my third grade teacher, Mrs Garland, who saw me reading the Little House books and suggested Caddie Woodlawn.
Mrs. Garland used to comment that kids had “too many (after school) activities”. This was in the mid 1960s. She would roll in her grave to see all the things my niece’s kids do after school today!
I am white, and from a northern European people (Mennonites) whose culture, socially and spiritually, is that work and duty are the highest good. Slowly I am learning that the exhuberant dance, song, slang and food of Black Joy, while SO unfamiliar to me, and often unrepentantly sensual, celebrates the whole self in ways my cold upbringing could not - we were locked away from so much in ourselves and in our communities. There's not even folk dancing in my heritage!? Loosen up, people.
Bad Bunny brought Latino Joy to the forefront for me, and as someone who lived in Puerto Rico for a year decades ago, many fond memories. I loved his full throated love song to his home. It's for me to learn the meaning of his lyrics and symbols, as he, too, sings America.
I love teacher stories!! Maybe it is because I am a teacher and librarian or maybe it is because I had so many influential teachers in my life. My favorite was my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Nicholson. She was a small, feisty Dutch woman who had survived much including a Japanese Concentration camp during WWII. I was a shy child who lacked confidence. She helped me become more myself by writing little encouraging notes on my stories, allowing us to stay in at lunch and practice geography (we though we were getting away with something but we were learning😜),and she challenged me to think outside the box with stories of her life and engaging lessons. So thankful.
I loved your words about Bad Bunny’s halftime performance. I don’t speak Spanish but his love of his culture came through clearly. His message is one we need to hear “Together, we are America”. Thank you for your thoughtful words and your faithful service❤️
Thanks for your thoughts on the halftime show—I totally agree!! We were in Puerto Rico a few weeks ago and the San Sebastián Street Festival was happening. The show took me back to that same unbridled joy!!
Please tell me you’ll be doing another Psalm (or any other) study soon that will be open to outsiders and on Zoom?!
Oh to be that cozy Koala resting in that tree! So lovely.
Mrs Springer sounds like a beautiful soul and what a gift she was for you, both in and out of school. I'm deeply sorry for her passing.
I love that you don't feel the need to constantly write when there are other things occupying your life and time. Secretly I wish more writers did that. Say one thing but say it well. So thank you Jeff for showing that restraint and respect for your time and ours. Not that we don't love hearing from you, but when you do write it's always something meaningful and taken to heart. Bless you for that. And big congrats on the audiobook nod! That's huge!
Lovely and poignant in alternation, the best kind of writing. I too have noticed how the weddings have given way to funerals in just the past few years. Lifelong learner here-PhD was earned back at age 52!
As usual that was beautiful! Teachers who make a lifelong impact are so special! And important and needed. I love how your wise and beautiful hearted teacher embraced your weirdness as special. Aren’t we all weirdos🙈 I’ll put in a prayer request that my daughter Nikki finds the real Jesus after being in a church that condemns homosexuality and teaches wrong theology. Thankyou!
Jeff, thank you for the gift of your story about your beloved teacher, Mrs. Springer. That you remember her words of acceptance, belonging and recognition of who you are - that is a true gift of beauty and love. Thank you also for reminding us that our job is to help others find their belonging also 🙏🌈😻
Jeff, my first grade teacher, Mrs. Gosselin, taught me how to read. I love that woman! The school library became my favorite place. The smell of books, the crinkle of those cellophane covers on the dust jacket of each book, checking out (over and over) the book of Greek mythology.
And my third grade teacher, Mrs Garland, who saw me reading the Little House books and suggested Caddie Woodlawn.
Mrs. Garland used to comment that kids had “too many (after school) activities”. This was in the mid 1960s. She would roll in her grave to see all the things my niece’s kids do after school today!
I am white, and from a northern European people (Mennonites) whose culture, socially and spiritually, is that work and duty are the highest good. Slowly I am learning that the exhuberant dance, song, slang and food of Black Joy, while SO unfamiliar to me, and often unrepentantly sensual, celebrates the whole self in ways my cold upbringing could not - we were locked away from so much in ourselves and in our communities. There's not even folk dancing in my heritage!? Loosen up, people.
Bad Bunny brought Latino Joy to the forefront for me, and as someone who lived in Puerto Rico for a year decades ago, many fond memories. I loved his full throated love song to his home. It's for me to learn the meaning of his lyrics and symbols, as he, too, sings America.
Maybe the Chinese are the Mennonites of Asia.
I was so excited to see you’ll be about 1/2 hour from me in NJ. I registered !
See you there!
Gosh this was beautiful. Thank you for sharing your gifts with us - and the larger world.
Just lovely. Your words are so encouraging and soothing. Finishing up with that koala sent me over the edge. 👏🏼💟🫶🏼
Come to Colorado. You could visit Nadia and I will bake you cookies.
I love teacher stories!! Maybe it is because I am a teacher and librarian or maybe it is because I had so many influential teachers in my life. My favorite was my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Nicholson. She was a small, feisty Dutch woman who had survived much including a Japanese Concentration camp during WWII. I was a shy child who lacked confidence. She helped me become more myself by writing little encouraging notes on my stories, allowing us to stay in at lunch and practice geography (we though we were getting away with something but we were learning😜),and she challenged me to think outside the box with stories of her life and engaging lessons. So thankful.
just glad to read all of this. grateful for your writing. and for the koala pictures 🙂
I loved your words about Bad Bunny’s halftime performance. I don’t speak Spanish but his love of his culture came through clearly. His message is one we need to hear “Together, we are America”. Thank you for your thoughtful words and your faithful service❤️
Thanks, Jeff. Good to hear from you whenever you feel you have something good to share.
Thanks for your thoughts on the halftime show—I totally agree!! We were in Puerto Rico a few weeks ago and the San Sebastián Street Festival was happening. The show took me back to that same unbridled joy!!
Please tell me you’ll be doing another Psalm (or any other) study soon that will be open to outsiders and on Zoom?!
Oh to be that cozy Koala resting in that tree! So lovely.
Mrs Springer sounds like a beautiful soul and what a gift she was for you, both in and out of school. I'm deeply sorry for her passing.
I love that you don't feel the need to constantly write when there are other things occupying your life and time. Secretly I wish more writers did that. Say one thing but say it well. So thank you Jeff for showing that restraint and respect for your time and ours. Not that we don't love hearing from you, but when you do write it's always something meaningful and taken to heart. Bless you for that. And big congrats on the audiobook nod! That's huge!
Lovely and poignant in alternation, the best kind of writing. I too have noticed how the weddings have given way to funerals in just the past few years. Lifelong learner here-PhD was earned back at age 52!
Your writing comforts me where I hurt and strengthens me to do what needs to be done. Thank you.