An ancient prophet thanked his creator with the words “You have taken my feet out of the straits and placed me in a wide place.” In my mind I imagine being lifted out of the narrow streets of some ancient town, full of poverty, disease, and want, to be placed in a vast, wide, green field on a high plateau with broad, blue skies. That image brings so much peace to me when I find myself in that hurry mode. And after just a few moments in that place, I can return to the physical world and function a little more clearly.
But there is another, more valuable, result to my short escapes in meditation. I have found another kind of elbow room.
Many times I get so frantic and aggravated over the paperwork of teaching. Not the planning for and evaluation of learning, but the placating of all the legal, federal, county, team, committee, training, renewal credit, continuing ed., demands made on us under the guise of “non-instructional” requirements. It creates an enormous intellectual and emotional drain on us. So much so that some days I think if I get asked one more question about something I’ve already taught I’ll just sit in the floor and give up.
Taking the time to have some quiet reflection, going to that peaceful place in your mind, meditating, whatever you call it, frees a twisted, pressured and chaotic head full of entanglements and allows you the freedom to actually use that well-trained mind of yours to solve some problems, or plan a few steps, or think clearly. It creates elbow room. You’re no longer bumping into things on your journey through the day. The frustration level goes down. The heart gets lighter.
What do I do with that extra room? Encourage a student. Give a complete, rather than convenient, answer. Enjoy teaching. Smile. Whistle. Relax. Be real. Lots of things.
What will you do with your elbow room?
Leave a comment