“To create a little flower is the labour of all ages.”
—William Blake
They walk, run, tumble, and drag into your room on the first day of school—complete strangers. At the beginning of the year they all seem to look alike, and it feels impossible to find distinguishing features. At this point you may wonder if you will ever be able to find the uniqueness of each one. A few days pass, and you discover the one who is kind and gentle; then the next week you discover another who is wise and articulate. Each day you have one fewer stranger in your room. Some students choose to be strangers for a longer period of time. It takes more greetings and chats before they start revealing their individuality to you. Then one day you walk in and look at your class and realize that the strangers have all disappeared.
“If you break open the cherry tree
Where are the blossoms?
But in Springtime
How they bloom.”
—Ikkyu
This post appeared in A Moment of Peace & Quiet: Meditations for Teachers by Gail G. Mesplay.
