Friday Thought : Right now, we are all rubber bands

In my most recent staff meeting I handed out a rubber band and asked people to get into groups of three. “Now stretch it out,” I said. And they did, but only to the point of resistance.

“How’s the rubber band?” I asked.

“Fine,” they said, because rubber bands are made to be flexible and to endure. Just like us.

“Now pull a little more,” I said. And they did. Not as much as the first, but still a good stretch.

“What about now?” I asked, “How’s the rubber band?”

“Fine,” they still said, but less assuradely.

“Now pull again.” And they did. “And again . . . and again, and again.” With each and again, they pulled a little less and worried a little more. One teacher even used her free hand to block her face.

“This is where we are,” I said, “We are made to endure, to be flexible, but with each new request, with each new demand, we stretch a little more and a little more and a little more. We are now living in a state of constant fear that we’re about to break.”

We can endure hard seasons. We can absorb change, be flexible, and stretch ourselves further than we thought imaginable. But not forever. Lest we break.

The problem is - for my staff in that meeting and for many of us in our daily lives - we don’t see an end in sight, largely because the problems and issues are far bigger than us, and we can’t do anything about it.

What we can do, however, is show grace. To ourselves, and to others.

Giving grace doesn’t mean we have a free pass to sacrifice our integrity or high standards of excellence - absolutely not! But it does mean that when we fail, we show grace - that we courteous and show goodwill.

You are trying your best. The woman next to you is trying her best as well. The man across from you is trying his best. The kiddos in your classrooms are showing up and trying their best, and your boss is trying her best. But we can only stretch so far. And for many of us, we are walking fearful that, with the next request or burden to bare, we will break.

We can’t solve most of the problems the people around us are asked to endure, but we can give them - and ourselves - some grace. Which, in the end, might be the only thing that holds us together.

Friday Thought : What a Cheerleader Can Teach the World

I'm sure most of you have already seen this photo. It's been shared on Facebook dozens of times, viewed by over 95,000 people, and featured on ABC Fox Montana. And for good reason! It’s the type of story that people love and flock to.

However, the story ABC Fox chose to spotlight was not what I had hoped for when they reached out for comment.

ABC Fox chose to focus on Helena High and their "coming to the rescue" role in the story, and I don't blame them. It's a touching story, a challenging and encouraging story, and a reminder to us all of how we should act and live when we find ourselves in a similar situation. It's a true Humilitas story!

But it is not the best part of the story.

When I first read saw this post, when I looked at the picture and remembered seeing little Allie Wallace out there cheering all on her own, what I was most inspired by and what wanted the story to focus on was the courage and inspiration of our sole Longhorn. "When we battle through obstacles," I wrote to ABC Fox, "when we do our best, even when it's hard or scary or embarrassing", when we put ourselves on the line and in vulnerable situations, "and when we do it with pride, integrity, and passion, we inspire others to join us." We inspire change.

And that, to me, is the bigger story, the better story, and the more inspiring story because it is the harder story. It is the more convicting story.

I don't know about you but I often feel inadequate as a person. I am constantly scared to make a fool of myself, I'm extremely self conscious of my weaknesses and faults, and am terrified to be perceived as a fool. I hate failure. Yet, almost on a daily basis, be it as a father, husband, principal, friend, person - whatever - I am faced with a decision, a moment, or an opportunity like the above picture. And in those moments, in each and every one, I have a choice to make. Do I walk away, believing my attempts are and skills and efforts are insignificant and worthless? That the embarrassment is too great? That I truly can't make a difference? Or do I stand strong, do my best, and endure? Do I hold tight to the belief that doing the right thing, the hard thing, is indeed the right thing, even when it doesn't feel good? Even when no one seems to care?

When I see the picture of Allie, of a young, petite, and almost squeaky-voiced girl who is so easily lost in the crowd standing and cheering in a giant stadium all by herself (before they showed up) with confidence and pride and diligence, and when I see her standing in a small see of Helena High cheerleaders (after they showed up), I see her inspiring others. I see her inspiring me.

When we hold fast to our convictions, when we act out in faith and pride, and when we do it with integrity and grace, we become influencers. We become movers and shakers. And we inspire others - even the big and mighty - to join in. Just like Allie Wallace did.

That inspires, encourages, and challenges the hell out of me.

That is the story I wish they would have focused on.

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