So many things in life are quaint and cute. At a glance they seem absolutely precious. Often the story behind the scenes is different. Small towns look lovely on postcards, and many people fantasize about living in a quaint village. But small town life is filled with its own challenges and hardships. Many people who love the idea of small towns would not like living in one.
Intimacy is a thing we all think we want. Or do we? The idea of being close and connected to others warms our hearts. But the daily work of intimacy is often more than people can take. Can you relate to someone in the good times and the hard times, living through conflict and slowly getting to know them over a period of years? If not, intimacy is going to be hard for you.
Marcus Goodyear, senior editor at The High Calling and the genius and energy behind this blog network, has posted something recently that I think is really good. Marcus was a teacher earlier in life. And he learned that in teaching (as in much of life) no technique can ever accomplish as much as can be done when you are willing to become connected to the people around you.
In his book The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer writes,
Good teachers join self and subject and students in the fabric of life. Good teachers possess a capacity for connectedness.
Five years ago, in my copy of the book, I drew a red box around the word “connectedness.”
On the facing page, Palmer has written that “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.”
Since I’ve been with Mr. Butt, I’ve learned that NO JOB can be reduced to technique. Every job becomes a high calling when we bring our identity and integrity to our work.
This week, don’t forget to draw a red box around the word “connectedness” in your work. …Read More
