Life Is A Journey…

   It has been said by many, perhaps thousands of people, that life is a journey. Therefore I cannot claim to making this an original thought or idea. Many  before me have espoused this belief. But recently, the concept of life being a journey is taking on a new meaning for me.

   In most cases, life’s journey for many begins at a very early age. Now I know that does not sound profound. We all assume our place on the planet at an early age. But that does not necessarily mean that is when the journey begins. The journey begins when each of use takes personal responsibility for the life we wish to lead.

   It is true that those early days are somewhat controlled and directed by those around us, family, friends, perhaps others with influence. But at some point we decide to venture out on our own and set goals and a direction to begin the journey.

   With a few minutes to waste the other day, I pulled over to the side of the road and walked onto a bridge stretching across Rt 95 and watched as the line of cars and trucks passed beneath me. All were traveling at different speeds, weaving in and out around those who seemed to be slowing them down. Some waved as they glanced up and saw me standing on the bridge, one or two “flipped me the bird,” but most just pushed ahead with their foot on the gas pedal. In one lane of the highway, they were all traveling in the same direction and in the other lane, they were headed in the opposite direction. But my view from the bridge is not necessarily what the journey of life is all about.

   The journey of life is not always the same for everyone. I think we all know that. We only have to look around us to watch and observe others. We begin to understand that there could be some bumpy roads, some unexpected twists and turns, some steep hills to climb and deep valleys to cross and maybe a detour or two.

   After spending a few minutes on the bridge I climbed back into my car and soon joined the others I had been watching, me moving back and forth into the passing lanes in an effort to get to my destination for that day.

   While each day may or may not have a specific destination, as each day passes, we realize yesterday is never to return. What each new day gives us is the preparation for tomorrow and at some point we may begin to understand the journey we have been on. And that journey, for many of us, is based upon the decisions we make each day, with a constant reminder that today is today and tomorrow will become a new today and yesterday is a thing of the past.

   The journeys we set out on are in large part guided and directed by those around us. As a young child, much of life is influenced by family and friends. Parents have goal and dreams for children. Some will follow the dreams of Mom or Dad. But others may branch out and try new things, new directions, new challenges. But life still remains the journey.

   As I sit back, enjoying the music of the 1970s and entertainment being supplied by my Alexa (my new tech toy), I often think about the past, where I have been, what parts of my life have been a success and the parts I would not want to repeat. But then I remember that the journey is not over. While today is today, it is not yesterday anymore, and there is still tomorrow.

   For me, the journey still continues. Each day still offers new opportunities, new thoughts and ideas. Each day still brings new people into my life, new books to read, new places to see and visit and most important, new things to learn.

   I encourage those reading this to consider life, not as a destination, but as a journey, where each day teaches us something new about ourselves in order to help smooth out the bumpy roads, help navigate some of the twists and turns and climb the mountains that may come before us.

  

  

  

  

 

 

 

 

Getting From ‘Point A’ to ’Point B’

    Each morning when I roll out of bed, I place both feet on the floor, grab my bathrobe, pour myself a hot cup of coffee and begin to make my plans for the upcoming day. For many years. those plans mostly focused on getting ready for work. But with retirement, it is a very different kind of planning. For the most part, today’s planning focuses on activities that I prefer to do rather than those I have to do except if it's one of those days when the car needs to have an oil change or more recently, getting ready for winter by having the snow tires put on the car.

   Sometimes there are some things that happen that cause one to pause and think about. Why did that happen? Why now? Is someone trying to send me a message?  Let me give you an example.

    My use of technology has been fairly limited. Let’s just call it old school.  I have a cell phone and a compute and pretty much limit their use to the basic, nothing fancy, use for what were initially designed to do. For example using my computer to write this column.

   But recently we added a new piece of technology to our home. She is called Alexa. And much to our surprise she has added some new and interesting dynamic entertainment to our household.

   For example. When coming downstairs in the morning and preparing the coffee I announce her name and ask her what the weather is going to be for that particular day, what the important news stories were for the last for the past 24 hours and then ask her to play some music for a few minutes. And being the old-fashioned person that I am, I’ll admit, this is pretty cool.

The other morning I asked her to play some songs. And the first song was a song by Bob Dylan. Its title? “The Times They Are A-Changing”. Now let me tell you. That was pretty scary. I snapped my head around to see if anyone else was in the room. Why that song?  Why today? But as I settled in with my hot coffee I began to think about what had happened and was it appropriate for Alexa to remind me just how much the times have changed. (She is pretty smart.) Yes. It was a big step to bring Alexa into the house but in the brief time we have had her, she really has added a lot of entertainment and in some respects made life a bit easier. She is a wealth of knowledge. Now I don’t have to dig out the encyclopedia to look something up. Just ask her a question and you will see how smart she is.

   So what causes us to take risks, to try new things, and hopefully move ahead from Point A to Point B, especially if you are not a risk taker? To be honest, if I had not had the opportunity to spend a bit of time with Alexa, I probably would not have been so anxious to purchase one. But that experience, a ‘Point A’ for me in my daily life, while looking out over the calm waters of Downeast Maine, moved me to point B, trying something new. Not a big deal, but then some things don’t have to be.

   As each day passes, it sometimes becomes more challenging to move ahead, to take that step into the unknown. Today’s world is not what I would have hoped for. The distrust, hate, anger, which is reported each day sets an unfortunate tone for life in 2022. But then the reminder from Alexa and the song from Bob Dylan can encourage each of us to make decisions to move forward from ‘Point A’ to ‘Point B’, to plan a day knowing that maybe at some point there will be a new experience or opportunity that will provide new and exciting adventures. Yes…. the times are changing, but the will always be a ‘Point A’ and ‘Point B’ in our personal lifetimes if we allow for them and are willing to take the risk.

   So…. Alexa…. what shall I have for dinner tonight? Something Greek you say? But I don’t how to cook Greek food. Oh. A new learning experience? I get it. Thank you.

(I was not able to read this aloud as I often do because every time I read her name, she responded with some type of answer. 😊)

 

 

 

 

 

Just Another Trip Around the Sun….

   Those of you who follow my posts may have noticed that I have become somewhat focused on age and growing older. Another trip around the sun means another birthday and the number of trips is beginning to climb a bit.

   I recently had a discussion with someone who asked me my age. I bobbed and weaved for a minute or two but then responded. To my response he said “That’s really great. “You know…. Growing older is a privilege.”

   His response caused me to stop and think for a minute. I guess I had not viewed growing older as a privilege. Sometimes it feels like growing older becomes more of a burden, a burden on yourself, your family and maybe your friends. But as we continued our discussion, I found myself thinking about the many life experiences I had been able to have, the lessons I may or may not have learned and what the passing of time has taught me.

   As I will often do, after my discussion I quickly turned to my computer to do a search for famous quotes on getting older. It was not a surprise as to the number of quotes by famous and not so famous people.

   The one that caught my attention was one by Ingrid Bergman. “Getting older is like climbing a mountain: you get a little out of breath, but the view is much better.” At first glance the quote appears pretty simple and straight forward. Climbing a mountain can get you a little out of breath, something I experienced just a few days ago while walking a hiking trail Downeast. But a brief rest, a few sips of water and the view was wonderful. Clear blue sky, a picturesque view of the ocean and the sounds of the waves helped put things into perspective.

   But to finish Ingrid’s quote…” Getting older is more than just climbing a mountain. It is about the ‘perspective’ you gain about life.”

   For many, life contains a number of hills and valleys and as each day goes by we often become more skilled and able to handle new experiences that confront us. Some of these experiences may be expected or planned. Other may be a surprise. But looking back on how we managed each and what we learned helps us to understand just how important ‘perspective’ may be.

   My parents lived into their early 90s. Not everyone is as fortunate to experience that amount of a lifetime and while the average length of life for society in general has increased over the recent decades, there has, is recent years been somewhat of a minor decline. At least that is what some of the experts are claiming.

   It was interesting to hear some of the discussions my parents would have about life and how in their eyes it had changed. As children of the 1920s their view of the world over time and their perspective about life was very different than many people today. Life’s experiences had changed their views and beliefs about many things and I suspect the same thing is happening to me.

   Like climbing the mountain, the perspective one has about life, about personal values and beliefs changes with as we grow older. But it is not just being old that changes our perspective but the experiences throughout our life that we faced and endured and what we learned from them that make us who we are each day. Learning never stops, unless we allow it to stop and the more we learn the smarter we become. We have a better perspective on those parts of our life that are important, that make us happy, that bring smiles to our faces and things that we can share with others.

   As I begin the next trip around the sun I know that I will not be able to bend over and kneel down in the garden to weed as often as I did in the past and I may have to get someone to help mow the lawn. But I will be remembering the discussion I had and the comment…” Growing older is a privilege”.

 

 

The Real Reason We Are Called Baby Boomers

   Those of us of a certain age, albeit at least in our late sixties and seventies, are part of what has been labeled the Baby Boomer generation. The name is given to those born in the late forties and fifties, a time when soldiers returned home from the wars around the world and began raising families.

   New parents at the time and a generation or two before and during the war (grandparents) were part of a world with strong social and political beliefs, clear cut roles and responsibilities for men and women, and the places in society that were not always welcoming to those of different cultural backgrounds, spoke a different language or were judged by the color of their skin.  One only needed to scan the country at the time to see who would and would not be welcomed to become part of local cultures and communities.

   I need to interject a personal note here. I have been writing this column for a number of years now and have made every attempt to stay as far away from political issues as I could. But as I begin to put these thoughts together after watching the news, that may be a bit more difficult for me with this piece, so if you feel uncomfortable with what I might say, please feel free to stop reading now and return to whatever you were doing.

   Even today I can still remember many of my grandmother’s comments about her changing neighborhood, what seemed to be, from her perspective, a total lack of respect for many local and family traditions and the way life use to be. But the new generation, the Baby Boomers, those born post war, were going to put things on the ‘right’ track. We were going to create a country, a society and a world that was going to make everything the way it should be. A new generation where everyone would be treated equally and with respect.

   It was several months before the 1960 Presidential election. The homework from Civics class was to write an essay entitled…” What If a Catholic President.” Each homework paper was read aloud and the class voted on the one they thought the best. (I was not the winner of the classroom vote) If memory serves me correctly, I believe the country did vote for its first Catholic President and the rest is history. The Baby Boomers had finally spoken.

   Since the Boomers, and before, there have been a number of new generations, each given a name or title that reflected their dreams, goals, and beliefs. But the Baby Boomers have managed to remain a strong influence in today’s world. One only needs to pick up the newspaper or watch the news to see that many of the Boomers, especially those serving in government and leadership positions are attempting to reestablish those once held societal beliefs of a segregated society, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of money as a true measure of character and human value.

   History shows us that each generation will put its mark on society and provides a level of guidance and teaching to the next group that will take its place. Traditionally this has been called leadership with the hope of moving forward and making the country and the world a better place for future generations. But a look at where we are today and the lack of and unwillingness of people to work together may be moving us in a somewhat difficult direction

   What kind of world will be the home of my grandchildren? Are we quickly returning a society that, until now, so many have attempted to make part of a history lesson, part of a learning experience, part of the education for future generations to read about and learn from?

   Have the Baby Boomers of the 50s and early 60’s become nothing more than a lot of loud noise and distraction in an attempt to return us to a life and society many are working to change so that everyone will be treated equally and with respect.

   Each year the Boomer generation becomes fewer and fewer in number. We are getting old. But for those of us who are still part of today’s world I have a suggestion. Take your children and grandchildren aside and show them some of the pictures taken in your life as you grew up. Talk to them about the fun things you did as a child of the 50s and 60s. And more important, maybe, share with them the one thing in that lifetime you would have done differently if you had known. A lesson learned.

  

 

 

  

 Words Have Meaning Too…..

                          (Antonin Scalia)

   This has been a difficult one for me. Most of the time, ideas and thought flow like water. Once and a while they might slow down a bit, but after a fresh cup of coffee and a quick walk around the yard, the ideas come together. And, for those of you that know me to some degree, you know I can have a somewhat weird sense of humor and can usually laugh things off. But several days ago, I received a post forwarded to me by my daughter and I admit I have somewhat struggled with it. 

   Back in the day I was a teacher, a school administrator, an Associate Commission of Education, and taught administrative education classes at several local colleges. I enjoyed teaching and believed very strongly in the importance of a good education. School and learning was important to prepare young people for the new world and to this day I still believe that getting a good education is important.

   Now I am aware that for some going to school and learning was and can be a challenge, but the hope was that at some point they would come to the realization just how important spending time in the classroom could be. And in addition, not only were schools important for learning, but also an important place to make memories. And to this day I still believe that. So where am I going with this?

   Over the years things change and as the school population numbers go up or down, school districts change. For many years now, the student enrollments in many areas have declined and as a result once neighboring school districts have combined to offer meaningful education. In efforts to save money and continue to provide quality education to the students, schools have closed and a quick trip around the State will show a number of closed and shuttered school buildings. And what is to become of those buildings?

   One of the school districts in which I served joined with a neighboring town several years after I moved on to a new position. And as a result, the schools in one town were closed and student attended schools in the neighboring community. The transition took place many years ago now but what was then the local high school before the consolidation has remained vacant since then. But it appears that is about to change and this prompted the Facebook message from my oldest daughter, a graduate of that now vacant high school.

   A group in the area has decided that in preparation for the upcoming Halloween season they would create a haunted attraction and transform a creepy school building into a haunted house and give it a name. And the name? ‘The Halls of Horror.’

   Under somewhat normal circumstances I might just laugh something like this off. But having firsthand knowledge and experience of what took place in those hallways when it was a vibrant and exciting school causes me a bit of sorrow. And knowing that a number of the school’s graduates and family members still live and work in the area, I am having a bit of a problem with this. Words do have meaning. 

   Now I am sure there were students who, for whatever reasons, may have felt on occasion that the halls maybe were a place of horror if a test was failed or a homework assignment was incomplete.  But the key for me here is that words, when used in different contexts, do have meaning and I would sincerely hope that for those who remember the high school days, they do not remember them as halls of horror but with fond memories of a favorite teacher or classmates or an exciting basketball game. 

   I understand the need and desire to make use of this vacant building and I am sure that over time, a new cause or purpose will be discovered for the building. Until then, depending how they are used, remember…. like emotions and memories, words have meaning too. 

   Side note……As quoted by Antonia Scalia “Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn’t change.” What often gives a word new meaning, however, is the context in which a word is used and the person using the word. The lesson here? Choose your words carefully!

 

There Once Was A Little Red School House

 

   The days of the Little Red School house are long gone. The world has become extraordinarily complex and education has taken on many new roles and responsibilities.

   A great deal of discussion has come to the surface recently regarding what should and should not be taught in schools. There has been talk about the need to improve the quality of education. In many states it has become a hot topic. And given the type of election we seem to be facing this year, it probably will remain so until after the November election.

  Student test scores when compared to those from around the world are not encouraging. True. In recent years. the COVID virus has had a significant impact upon student learning but efforts by the federal government to improve scores have met with limited success.

  One should maybe remember, from their own history class, that our founding fathers and the Constitution were silent on education, leaving it to the states to determine how children should and would be educated and what they would learn.

   Experts try to explain why one of the richest nations in the world has difficulty competing with other countries when it comes to student performance on standardized tests.

   No question that if students are to remain competitive in the world with other students, we need to make some significant and substantial changes. Yes, money will help, but some of the solutions may be right in their own backyard. And it may begin with a simple attitude adjustment, by parents and politicians.

   The family is still the single most important key in a child's education. If we look at countries where student performance is high, the common elements are strong family values for education and involvement in the child's program at school. A child's education is a high priority because they will eventually become the future scientists, engineers, doctors, and yes, even teachers. Parents willingly attend school conferences and take interest in what children are learning. They become involved in their programs even before the child enters school. Parents and cultural expectations to be successful are high.

   The educational system in the United States is locked in tradition. School calendars are still based upon the agrarian calendar. Don't students learn during summer or are they busy working on the farm?

   The average length of the school year is 177 days. The average school day is approximately 6 hours, not counting the time spent on the school bus.

   Here is the scary part. Of the six hours in the day, only about 3 1/2 hours are actually spent in instruction. After a lunch count, announcements, school breakfast. Interruptions from the office and a few text messages sent from friends sitting in the back of the room, there is not much time for learning.

   One only needs to look to the coach for after school sports. The average practice length is 2 1/2 hours with no interruptions. There are no announcements from the office, no texting, and…no cell phones allowed. And if it is a practice before a game, can you imagine how much a math teacher would be able to achieve?

  For those of you that know a bit about my career as a teacher and educator, one of the issues that always concerned me was that fact that we all, both child and adult, learn at a different rate and need different amounts of time to learn and process. What happens to the child who needs more than 45 minutes of class time or more than 177 days to learn what is being taught each year? It's a simple explanation of why some fall behind and then become discouraged.

   I was not going to mention the current environment where schools have become battle grounds for violence, drugs, and a number of the ills our society has become so accustomed to hearing about on a daily basis. But at a recent discussion around our family dinner table, my daughter spoke of her concerns about the unknowns of the upcoming school year, the harassment teachers receive from community members and the lack of overall community support. Is it any wonder why there are so many teacher vacancies. And again, as a reminder, teachers are the people who teach our future doctors, scientists, lawyers, car repair, electricians, plumbers, nurses, etc.………..

   One last thought. When you look at countries with high achieving students one thing that they have in common is the public perception of teachers. They are well respected, held in high esteem and were often the best and brightest when they were in school and teacher training. While some may still picture the teacher as a school marm in that little red schoolhouse, teaching is a science and is far too important. The future of our country depends upon their success.

 

27,375

   Those of you who follow my writing with some degree of regularity will know that for some reason I have become fixated on age and time. Yes. I am getting older, as we all do, living each day, just one day at a time. That appears to be the way the system works. But what I have come to discover and understand with a bit more clarity is that it is not necessarily how many days we live but how we live each day.

   Like many of you, I am going to assume, I get a number of posts on my Facebook page about living each day to the fullest. I do not know how or why they appear as they do. I can usually count on several of these posts to appear throughout the day. Sometimes they make sense. It depends upon the time of the day or the type of day I am having. Sometimes they seem a bit silly. But the ones that seem to apply to my state of mind at that particular moment can be a bit scary. Is my computer looking over my should. Can it read my mind? Does it know what I am thinking because I have just been perusing the pages of Amazon, looking at items I don’t really need?

   At this moment, for example, the following popped up on my screen…” Stop thinking about the limitations and start thinking about the possibilities.” Ok. Where did that come from?

   Many of the posts focus on the present and the future and credit the past to nothing more than the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. I believe that reflecting on the past can serve as a guide for the future but can also be a storehouse for many enjoyable memories and experiences that make us the person we are on this particular day. And yes, there will be both good ones and bad ones.

   Each new day is the next entry into what will become “a yesterday” and how we live today, what we think about, what we do, how we act and what we accomplish will be logged into another day of life’s experiences.

   The past few weeks, months and years have given us a great deal to think about. It has been a life quite different than I experienced growing up in the 50s and 60s.

   Gasoline at the local gas station was about 25 cents a gallon, until they would have a gasoline war and then the price might drop to 17 cents. Many stores and businesses were closed on Sundays so that family members could go to church together and then maybe spend some quality time enjoying family time together. A haircut was $1.25 and a bottle of coke was 10 cents.

   If I needed to get across town, I could go to the corner and pick up the neighborhood bus and within a couple of minutes be at my friend’s house where his mom had just baked some cookie and with a glass of milk we would be set for the afternoon to watch the black and white tv and sing along with Howdy Doody. And if we were really lucky, we might even go to the local movie theater to see a Disney movie.

   If I needed to make a phone call I would find the nearest phone booth, drop a quarter into the slot and dial the number, not by pushing buttons but by using a dial. I made a lot of mistakes dialing numbers back then.

   Schools were vastly different back then also. No computers. Pencils, pens and yellow or white paper with blue lines were how we communicated. And I felt very safe going to school, although every once and awhile we would have what were called air raid drills where we would hid under the desk in case there was an air attack by some foreign country.

   As each day passed life changed. The price of gasoline went up. Today’s price $4.59. Food at the grocery store became more expensive. One grapefruit is currently $1.23.   And shows on television and at the movies have become more violent and sometimes downright scary.  So what does all this mean?

   27,375 is the number of days I have been alive and the likelihood of living for another 27,375 is not going to happen. But during that time I used each ‘yesterday experience’ to prepare for ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow.’ Our world, as it exists today, is presenting us with some challenging times. But as we have done in the past, if we learn from our past mistakes, failures and successes we can get through these challenging times.

   And about the computer being able to read my mind???

    

  

Pull Up a Seat at the Table

 

   I recently attended a granddaughter’s high school graduation. As has been tradition for many years now, there were the usual speeches and student recognitions. In this particular ceremony the class valedictorian and salutatorian each spoke about their experiences at school and thanked the teachers and other personnel who supported their educational journey. Their themes for the speeches were pretty traditional, but the young lady who gave the valedictorian speech had a somewhat interesting observation about her time in school and what gave here the support she found in order to be successful.

   As she explained, when she was a 9th grade student she did not know many of her classmates, had a limited number of friends and found the transition from middle school to high school rather scary. It was difficult to meet new people and make friends in a large high school as everyone seemed to go about their own business, pass you by in the hallways as you moved from classroom to classroom and did not have a great deal of time to meet and talk with others. But then there was lunch time.

   Entering a cafeteria with many other students, most she did not know, was, I am sure a challenge and maybe a bit scary. High school can be scary in many ways.  But taking a chance, she found an empty seat at one of the tables and sat down, not knowing any of the other students sitting at the table. But as she found out, they basically did not know each other either, something they all had in common.

   As each day passed, they would meet at the same table each day and over time they became good friends, got to know each other well, shared their life experiences in high school together and before long it was time to say goodbye and good luck on this day of graduation. This friendship all began by the simple act of sitting down at a table with others and beginning to share life and what it has to offer.

   Now it was my understanding that the purpose of a table, generally a simple piece of furniture found in most houses, was to be used as a place to eat meals rather than eating off of one of those tv trays, maybe a place to do your homework, or a place to drop your books and coat when you got home from school. But her experience with a table at school was much more than that. For her and the others it was a place to build relationships.

   Thinking about the concept of a table as she described it, there are some new things I have observed about tables and how they are used that I may have not considered in the past.

   If you take a look at some of the more important meeting in the world today, the participants are sitting around a table sharing thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Everyone’s status at the table is equal and this type of interaction can help lead to compromise, agreement and newfound successes. And let’s not forget about gaining ‘respect” for the others. When sitting around a table, it is difficult to not look directly at someone, to see their expressions and reactions. It sure is better than trying to conduct a meeting over the telephone, or the newest approach, something called zoom!

   After listing to her comments and observations about the table, I thought back over my career and life in general and realized that something as simple a table, even a picnic table, can provide and play an important role in learning about other and learning about yourself.

   I can remember during my career, one of my supervisors, when meeting with him in his office, would always get up from behind his desk and we would sit at a small table in his office. While the content and topics of discussion often covered a variety of subjects, the outcomes were general very positive and productive. Were there disagreements? Of course. But being able to sit down at a table and talk them out was far better than getting a nasty email, a voice message on the phone or an edict from behind that big old desk. (And besides, there was always a bowl of chocolate on the table.)

   Tables have been used for centuries for many different purposes, holiday dinners, birthday parties, playing scrabble or other board game. But their real purpose may have been overlooked and I applaud the young lady and her reflection in her comments about the value of table and the roll it can play in growing up and learning about who you are and the others around you.

 

As Ohio Goes……

   During my days in graduate school one of the required classes for the program was a statistics class. The assignment on this particular day was to statistically prove or disprove the statement that “As Maine goes, so goes the nation,” referring to the people of Maine being able to correctly pick the winning party in each of the Presidential elections.

   (Let me assure you that this column will not be a political endorsement of any candidate for any office, past, present, and for sure, the future.)

   Once considered a bellwether state for politics and presidential elections, Maine earned its reputation of being able to predict presidential political party outcomes as early as 1840. In that year a Whig party candidate was elected governor of Maine in early September and two months later, William Henry Harrison, a Whig party candidate won the 1840 presidential election.

   Until 1957, Maine’s general elections were held in September because of the early potato harvest in northern Maine and generally the weather was better in the early Fall so people could get out to vote. Only the presidential contests were held in November. As a result, national political parties were eager to achieve wins in Maine’s early Congressional and statewide elections, hoping to influence and predict the outcome and winners of the Presidential election in November. Maine politics played a major role in the national political landscape. Maybe? Of course there are always exceptions to the rules.

    In November 1936, Maine and Vermont were the only states that Republican nominee Alf Landon carried over President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 Presidential election, giving Landon only eight electoral votes (the three from Vermont and the five from Maine.  

  As the country prepares for what are now called the ‘midterm elections’, candidates and the general public are preparing for an onslaught of campaign rhetoric, political stories, advertising, and huge amounts of money being spent to enhance a candidate’s standing in the public’s eye in an effort to win their election. Every attempt will be made to announce the winners and losers, even before the votes are counted. Here we are in May 2022 and already attempts are being made to predict the winners and losers. It’s no wonder many believe, regardless of their political leanings believe that their votes don’t count.

   The ability of Mainers to predict the outcome of the presidential elections, to remain as a bellwether for the political fortunes of some and the demise of others disappeared with the election of 1960 when Maine’s election law changed in 1959 ending the tradition of early congressional and statewide voting to follow the lead of the rest of the nation.  But there have been some other changes too.

    As of 2020, the most widely cited bellwether state in the country for predicting the

outcome of the Presidential elections is now Ohio, with the exception of 2020. Ohio has

continuously been an accurate predictor of the national outcome of presidential

elections since 1964. Perhaps it is time to go back to the statistic class and graduate

school and verify that “As Maine goes…” has been replaced. Should the history

books replace it with Vermont? No. Wait. Can it really be Ohio? That just does not have

the same romantic or political ring as ‘Maine’. But for those who have some degree of

patience, which eliminates most of today’s current politicians, we will have to wait and

see. 2024 is just around the corner.

   And by the way, the results of that graduate school class project back in the early 70s,

the result turned out to be? You guessed it.  50-50. So much for “will of the voter.”

 

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up???

    It was probably the middle of the first semester of my freshman year in high school. The year was 1960. It was my very first meeting with my high school guidance counselor. After sitting down in the guidance office and waiting for several minutes, I was ushered into his office. Even before sitting down his first question to me was…” So, are you a German immigrant?”

   It was a puzzling question. I had not uttered a word yet. No one had ever asked me that before. Why would he ask such a question? I didn’t speak German. I spoke English.

   Asking him why the question, he responded by saying that he thought because my last name sounded German, perhaps I was a new immigrant into the United States. Well, no!

   After a few more questions, he got down to the purpose of this meeting and as most high school guidance counselors ask students and help plan and select courses for the coming years, … “What do you want to be after you graduate from high school? And like most other high school freshmen probably answer…” I don’t know yet. I know I want to go to college and take a lot of different classes.”

   His response caused me to sit back in my chair and become very quiet for a moment. “I am not sure college is the right place for you. Your grades so far this first semester have not been of exceptionally good college quality work. You may want to think about working at a local gas station or maybe going to barber school if you want to learn a trade.”

   Fast forward 65 plus years. The decisions that students make these days about careers at an early teenage year are still somewhat difficult. And today, with all the changes in society, all the advances in technology and all the new fields of work and potential employment, that decision is probably even more difficult today.

   There is still the need for doctors and lawyers, scientists, and teachers. With the development of technology and trips to the moon and beyond, there is an entire new generation of work, study and employment. Many of these new areas, nonexistent, 65 years ago, offer great jobs, professional advancement and sometimes high salaries and great pay. But we still need plumbers and electricians, car repair mechanics, roofers and builders. We need farmers and people who can fish, truck drivers and airplane pilots. We need strong men and women to build roads, maintain bridges and help us get from Monday to Friday each week, whether it by driving a bus or subway or the local senior citizen’s bus.

   Here is the challenge, however. Compared to the new jobs and professions available for today’s young people, many of these more traditional positions do not have the glamour and societal status of these newer areas. The more traditional jobs still, as they did in the past, require that you get your hands dirty. Dirty hands can really mess up a cell phone keyboard of the touch screen of an iPad. But…..

   Recently on several television channels, they have been running advertisements featuring high school students talking about vocational programs and the current need to fill many vacancies in the more traditional job world.

   In addition, several of the vocational schools are offering special programs and tuition prices to encourage students to learn a more traditional trade. In fact, there are programs that allow for students to combine their senior high school year and attend a vocational program and get a jump start on earning the credits needed toward a degree. After high school graduation, the students can also receive a financial bonus to continue their program.

   And one of the newer trends? In addition to classroom instruction, some businesses now provide onsite learning and work, along with a paycheck that could lead to a permanent job. Because of the demand for work well trained workers the business may even help pay any tuition costs the student may have.

   Now I will admit that my early career choice led me to wearing white shirts, ties, and suits. But while still in high school I took advantage of several part time jobs that included working in the local pharmacy, learning to interact with the public and come to a better understanding of the importance of patience. On occasion, I did get my hands dirty and still do some days

   And a note to the guidance counselor who said I did not have the academic skills to go to college, I did pump gas for a few months before heading off to college. By the way. That was when gasoline was about 22 cents per gallon.

   But my experience in the guidance office helped me decide that I wanted to become a teacher and after going back to graduate school after a few years in the classroom I became a guidance counselor for several more years. And with a closet full of white shirts and suits, I eventually worked my way into various levels of educational administration. But I sincerely hope that along the way I was able to help some students chart a path for the future.

   Planning a career at the age 0f 15 or 16 years of age can be a challenge. If I were meeting with a student today in my cramped little guidance office, after listening to their dreams, wishes and hopes, my one piece of advice that I would offer, even today, is to keep your options open. Work hard, learn from your mistakes and successes and above all, be honest with yourself and those around you. Your dreams of today are just the first step to what the future may have to offer. Keep the doors open.

   And by the way, the skill I learned as a teenager in pumping gasoline comes in pretty handy these days. Now if we could just get the price down a bit.

 

Your Town, My Town, “Our Town”

 

  The local newspapers will soon be filled with the schedules for upcoming high school graduations. It is a proud time for the graduates, parents and families and the teachers. Twelve, thirteen and in some cases maybe even more years of hard work will culminate with presentations, speeches and family parties and the possibility of a kiss on the cheek from a favorite aunt or grandmother. And while graduations are often viewed as an ending, the reality is that it may be just a beginning.

   I recently overheard (eavesdropped) in a discussion between a soon-to-be high school graduate and several adults. The adults' questions were pretty traditional: What are you going to do next year?......Any plans for the summer? And the soon-to-be graduate's responses was that he was taking the summer off and was planning to go to college in the Fall. I am getting out of this town,” he said in a firm and committed voice. “I am tired of this small town.”

 

   Most seniors graduating from high school in Maine, and I expect across the nation in many other states as well, are graduating from high schools in relatively small towns. Small towns are part of our nation's fabric and as the line from the television show “Cheers” reminds us...'where everyone or almost everyone knows your name.' (Remember that show?)

 

   As a prerequisite to graduation though, I would encourage every graduate along with his or her family, attend a presentation of “Our Town,” a play written by Thornton Wilder back in 1938.      

 

   Although it would come across somewhat dated, its message still rings true today.  For those who read the play back and school but may have forgotten its content or for others who skipped class that day, “Our Town” is a three act play set in a small, fictitious town in New Hampshire back at the turn of the 20th century and takes a look at average citizens and their everyday lives.

 

   What made the play a bit unique is that no scenery, sets or props were used and the actors used only mime and body actions, forcing the audience to use a bit of imagination to help set the scene.

 

   The play is divided into three acts. Act I is about daily life, the comings and goings of ordinary people in Grover's Corner, NH. Act II is built around families, love and marriage and the stresses that can sometimes accompany these relationships and families as they grow and change.

 

   Act III takes place in a cemetery just on the outskirts of town and tells about those in town who have passed away and one person’s search and struggle for eternity.

 

   Emily, a main character, dies during the birth of her second child but decides to return to Earth if only for just one day.  After spending just a few minutes back on Earth she finds it too painful, realizing how much of her life should have been valued while alive, “living every minute to its fullest” and how many times the enjoyment of the 'living moments' went unnoticed or overlooked. Sad and disappointed, Emily returns to the afterlife, watching, as her husband grieves by her grave side as she takes her resting place alongside those who passed away before her.

 

   Listening to the soon-to-be graduate talk about “getting out of town,” I can understand his excitement about moving away and starting a new life, filled with excitement and new challenges. Growing up in a small town can seem really boring and lack adventure. But the message in the play is still relevant in today's fast paced world, a world not really that much different than the one of 1938. It is all about people and values.

 

   No matter where you go or where you settle, there will always be a world of ordinary people, people just like you and me living in places like Grover's Corner. Some will become your friends; many will find jobs and careers. Many will marry and raise families. Sometimes, during those ordinary days, there will be times of struggle and stress. But problems will be solved, solutions will be found and the next chapters of life begin again.

 

   What we often overlook or fail to remember is the message in Act III. Even in small towns where you feel that everyone 'might' know your name, you can learn the importance of the value of each and every moment of your life. Regardless of where you are headed or end up and sometimes in the eagerness to move on, we overlook the values taught to us in those small towns, by the people who were part of our lives, the lessons learned, not from my town or your town but..... from “Our Town.”

 

   Congratulations to the graduates of 2022 and may your lives be filled with the hopes, dreams, and the values of the “small towns.”

 

 

Interviewing for a Spot on the Planet

 

   It is a very cold wintery Saturday morning so I decided to stay indoors and maybe clean out a couple of files. I fired up the paper shredder and after a page or two I stopped when I came across a stack of sheets of light blue paper. They held a list of the questions I used to ask when I was interviewing candidates for a teaching position. The questions were designed to help reveal qualities about each candidate to help me decide who should get the job.

   Looking over the questions, I thought about how I might answer each if I were being interviewed in today’s somewhat topsy turvy world, not for a job, but for my ‘spot” on today’s planet.

  Question 1. Tell me about yourself. Although you might not know the other candidates, what are some of your personal qualities that might make you unique from the others?

   I liked this question because it gave people an opportunity to talk about themselves and most people really do like to talk about themselves. There was never a single correct answer but there may have been some wrong ones. Do you know what they are?

   Question 2. If I were to meet someone on the street who knew you and I asked them to describe you, what might they say?

   Again, no correct answer here but a common response was often “It depends upon who you meet.” So, think about the answer. Do people see us in different ways, or do we act differently with different people? If so, what does it say about us as a person, as an individual.

   Question 3. (My favorite) If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

   This question often received a number of unusual and sometimes very funny responses. Many wanted to be a cat or a dog, a bird or even a lion. One person answered by saying they would like to be a salamander. Remember, we are applying for a spot on the planet. What’s wrong with being a salamander?

   Question 4. What do you see as your strengths and weaknesses?

   Wrong answer? I have none or I have many strengths and very few weaknesses. The truth is that people do tend to underestimate themselves and a person’s strength may be another person’s weakness. We all can’t be leaders. Some must be followers.

   Question 5. What do you see yourself doing in five years from now and what steps will you take to achieve that goal? Do you go through life looking forward or constantly looking in the rearview mirror to see what or who might be chasing you?

   Unfortunately, many go through life thinking about what could have been instead of making it happen. Common last words for many…” I wish I had.” So the question may be…” why didn’t you?”

   There were other questions in the sheet. Last book read? Favorite color? Most favorite movie of television show?

   An interview can sometimes be a ‘crap shoot’. The day of the week, the skill of the interviewer or even the weather can play a role in determining a successful outcome. But as I said at the beginning, this is not an interview for a job, but for our place on the planet where everyone gets accepted regardless of the quality of the answer to the questions. We all get our own little spot, our own place in time. What we do while we are here is truly up to each of us.

 

Things Aren’t Always What They Seem

 

 

   People are generally quite willing to give advice, even when not asked. Giving advice is easy. It doesn’t cost anything and is generally only as reliable as the person giving it. Advise comes in all shapes and sizes and from all directions.

   Over the years I have given my share of advice to both those who wanted it and those who did not. I have also received my share of advice from others, some I wanted, some I did not. But there was one piece of advice that continues to serve me well. “Remember things are not always what they seem.”

   If we consider each day a new adventure, with new experiences, some of those experiences becoming successes, some failures, we allow ourselves to fall victim to the trap of seeing things not as they truly may be.

   We have become a society that makes judgements on what we see on the outside and not from “within. “Flashy cars, fancy clothes, well-chosen words blind us to the lack of moral character.

   First impressions are designed to deceive, to win our confidence and it may be only a few who can see what has been carefully hidden. Confucius once said, “I have yet to meet a man as fond of high moral character as he is of outward appearance.” Is this the new level to which we have fallen?

   As the old story goes, two traveling angels stopped to spend a night at the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead they were told they would have to stay in the basement. As the angles made their bed on the hard floor the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When asked by the younger angel why, the older angel relied, “Things are not always what they seem.”

   The next night the pair came to rest at the home of a very poor but hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could get a good night’s sleep.

   When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the couple in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole source of income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel, “How could you allow this to happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him. The second man had very little but was willing to share everything, but you let their cow die.”

   “Things are always what they seem, “the older angel replied.” When we stayed in the basement, I noticed there was gold stored in the hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he could not find it. Then, last night as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I told him to take the cow instead. Things are not always as they seem.”

   The original source of this story is unknown, but its message has been passed down through the ages. Sometimes things don’t turn out the way we think they should. But then,” sometimes things are not really as they seem.” Perhaps that is still a good piece of advice after all.