Old Friends

Old Friends


there’s hearts filled with laughter
and eyes moved to tears
with memories so vivid
transcending the years
the words of compassion
and actions so kind
the sun smiles down, when
old friends come to mind


I’ve counted my blessings
and shuffled my dreams
and sang to the music
of deep forest streams
searching for places
the light always shined
like deep in my soul, when
old friends come to mind


I count you among
all the guides on the path
who loved me and taught me
to dream and to laugh
when I reach my heaven
I know that I’ll find
this heaven was built
by old friends, I call mine…


By Jim Morton

On the power of creativity

"No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity." ( Julia Cameron)


I am no expert on teaching nor on creativity. But just over a year ago, in the midst of feeling jaded by life and feeling quite dark and alone despite being surrounded daily with the beautiful first grade children I was teaching, I opened an email which invited elementary teachers to apply to attend the first annual Arts Academy for Teachers at Brigham Young University. Immediately, I thought of all the very creative teachers I work with and thought that they should apply for this. If I were more creative, I would apply. Throughout the following week, thoughts of the Arts Academy wouldn't leave my mind. I finally convinced myself to fill out the application and send it in. I wasn't expecting to be accepted. By some miracle I was accepted into the program!

The first day we met, I realized I was in a room filled with music, visual arts and theater teachers and specialists. I was just a regular classroom teacher. I felt intimidated and a bit foolish for being there. But I soon learned that these wonderful people spoke a language that my heart understood. It was such a safe environment and the more I allowed myself to take creative risks the more I was tapping into something deep inside myself.

There is something about switching from the role of being teacher to one of student. In the Arts Academy program we were being asked to allow ourselves to let loose and be creative as we were comfortable in doing. We drew, painted, danced, played musical instruments, wrote and filmed our own short movies and did theater games. It was scary taking risks and letting go of worrying what I looked like. I found, though, when I did, there was an amazing energy, light, and total happiness that filled me! I would come back to work from going to my classes and tell my girlfriends that these classes were cathartic. It was like going to a retreat once a month and coming back filled with light and wonder and creative ideas that I couldn't wait to share with my own students.

When I began to see how much my heart had changed, how my outlook on life had improved from using my creativity, I needed to learn more. It was about that same time that I was told about the master's program of Integrating the Arts in Education at Lesley University in Boston. I knew that I must be a part of this program. I applied and was accepted within a couple of weeks. I was never so sure of something before.

I started my Master's program a year ago, and the time has literally flown by. I can't believe we will be done in January of 2009. I truly believe that teaching through the arts taps into a spiritual aspect of ones soul. I have witnessed it in myself and with my own students. I believe that this will be the next movement in education. As one of my favorite authors states "...as we are creative beings, our lives become our work of art." (Julia Cameron)

Creativity is our true nature, it is what is spiritual inside of us, and by using our creativity we are tapping into that which is divine and innate within us. (It is interesting to note the words creativity and Creator.) The possibilities are endless. Our biggest obstacles to overcome are to slow down, turn off the noise around us, shut off our minds and listen to our hearts, and allow the creativity to flow. I'll leave with a thought from Albert Einstein on this subject, "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift."

Playing around with Photobooth

My sister's kids and I had fun with this!

Quote

“A MAN SHOULD HEAR A LITTLE MUSIC, READ A LITTLE POETRY, AND SEE A FINE PICTURE EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE, IN ORDER THAT WORLDLY CARES MAY NOT OBLITERATE THE SENSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL IMPLANTED IN THE HUMAN SOUL.” --JOHANN WOLFGANG GOETHE

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
- Kahlil Gabran

Here You Go Mom!

I'm finally posting pics of the reading nook I made this past summer. It is a country cabin...I'm also posting some pics of the new computers we have from the e-MINTS program I'm taking. We LOVE our classroom!

Snow!

In the middle of a peaceful morning teaching my third graders we looked out the window and it was snowing so hard we couldn't see across the playground. We stopped our studies, threw on our coats and went out to play and take some photos. It isn't unusual to have snow in April in Utah, but we've had snow just about every week this winter. It was fun time for all! Here's a peak!

April 6, 2008

Photos taken last year in late September near Aspen Grove. I can't wait for summer to come!!



It has been forever since I've updated this! I've been so busy this past year. My family found out last Fall that Dad had esophageal cancer. He started intense treatments of radiation and chemo in December and January. We received great news in March that his cancer is in total remission! What a huge relief this has been for everyone! Dad will have a few surgeries to remove scar tissue from his esophagus, and his voice will slowly come back over the next 6 months. Thank you for all of your prayers!

This has been a long winter out here in Utah! We had another snow storm blow through this past week. Unfortunately, I was working bus duty this week and it made for some cold mornings standing in a dress out in the snow watching the children! Fortunately, (does this remind you teachers of a book!??) Northern Utah is officially out of the drought we have been in for years. Today it is still in the 40's but the wind has died down and the sun is shining!

My friend Pete Mitchell's Dad and Step-Mom were in town this week and they had extra tickets to General Conference. We were really blessed to have tickets to Saturday morning's solemn assembly. That was such a wonderful experience that I will always remember. Pete's parents were so fun to be with! They had fun teasing me for not wearing a coat as Salt Lake City was much colder and windier than Provo that morning.

My friend Ally moved in with me for a few weeks in March while between apartment contracts. It was so fun having a roommate again! We stayed up late talking almost every night! Kai, my little pup, had a huge crush on her and he would lay outside her bedroom door every morning waiting to greet her. We really miss having her around!

School is going well. I changed to third grade this year. I miss the little first graders, but I love the sense of humor of the older ones. It has been so fun being in third, and I will probably stay in this grade from now on. I started my e-MINTs program in November and take technology classes on Thursday nights. I received 15 new Macs, new computer tables, a digital camera, and scanner for my classroom! We are having a blast! I have a BYU student coming this month to teach clay animation to the children!

My Master's program is more than half done! It is going so fast! I go to class one weekend a month up in SLC. I just finished my Drama class and it was so far my favorite! I've picked up my drawing again and it has become a spiritual exercise for me. I've also adopted my Dad's habit of taking long walks after dinner. I've found my walks ground me and help me clear my mind.

I'm looking forward to summer coming and to taking some long drives in the country!