Monday, October 19, 2009

Before I begin, let me just say this specific entry was inspired by a Ms. Catherine Curtis, one of the most fascinating people I know. It, of course, does not compare to her manifesto, but hopefully has some merit of its own. Understand also that it is a quest of a lifetime to align my beliefs with my actions. I’m trying.

I BELIEVE . . .

- in never giving up on something or someone you believe in . . . ever.

- in living after you die.

- in teenagers. I’m humbled and blessed to be able to work with them everyday. They teach me more than I could ever teach them.

- that the great ones of the past look down on us.

- in trying to do better.

- in looking for the best in people, especially what they themselves have overlooked.

- in our National Pastime.

- in endlessly and persistently acquiring knowledge.

- in beautiful music. My current favorites: Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, “Homeward Bound,” and “I Love the Lord.”

- in the power of poetry. I read some Langston Hughes poems yesterday. Good.

- in giving the people the benefit of the doubt and trusting them even if they occasionally don’t deserve it.

- in cultivating language.

- in the grace of a loving God.

- in reading. I’m currently reading the Chronicles of Prydain. Very good.

- in not being critical (that’s one I’m definitely still working on that one).

- in watching, and listening, and observing.

- in silence. If there’s one thing that I do worry about with the rising generation, it’s that they don’t know how to handle stillness. They always have someone to text or something to listen to, which is, I think, to their detriment.

- in taking time to think.

- that you get out what you put in.

- in my amazing mother and my not too distant father.

- that there are indeed prophets in the land.

- in nature. I’m convinced that sunsets, mountains, lakes, and rivers are indeed God’s artwork.

- in the Beautiful Game.

- that people and their needs should always take precedence over things.

- that zufall gibt es nicht.

- in taking the road less traveled.

6 comments:

kristen kathleen said...

Love the post Skinny! Hope things are going well for you these days.

Chersten said...

Beautifully said.

The MontaƱo’s said...

Quite the philosopher... I think you need to make it a goal to post at least once a week... Your knowledge and guidance is astonishing!

liz hawkins said...

This is my favorite post yet.

Jana B. said...

i believe that you believe that.

cath said...

mr. andrew t. wright:

shall we say the student has surpassed the original poster? well done. i've read this a couple times. i imagine you are quite a spiffin' teacher, and in fact you remind me of one of my most spiffin' teachers. he was also concerned that we didn't understand stillness, and more, that we didn't understand how to LISTEN. so he played opera for us one day, blasted it out of these big speakers. we weren't allowed to write, or talk, or do anything except focus on hearing the music, on really listening. that's stayed with me.
i love believing.