Human Family

My weekly creative writing club - Writers with Vision - meetings tomorrow morning. dano and I trade off who plans the “lesson” for the day. We typically like to introduce them to some inspirational piece of poetry that gets them thinking about how to use words, convey messages or emotions, and somehow connect with the world around them.

The world around me feels broken these days. The air is saturated with uncertainty. A pulse of hatred, fear, and anger is palpable. My heart is heavy. I keep asking myself what can be done. What can we do differently? How can we reshape the culture? How do we rewrite the narrative? What can we say to children to help them be more understanding? More empathetic? How do we guide them in a way that opens doors for peace and respect, civility and open-mindedness? I’m at a loss.

Even in a class today, one child dropped some materials and another one threw a verbal jab, caustic and snarky - “Way to go!” I turned to the student, let out a sigh and asked, “Instead of tearing her down with a comment like that, how about building her up by helping her out?” He just looked at me blankly. I held his stare for a minute, hoping my comment resonated on some level. He’s not a bad kid, but one who is more likely to be sarcastic than sympathetic.

For our writers tomorrow, I chose a Maya Angelou poem. “Human Family.” When I struggle finding my own words, I often reach to her - or other poets - to help light the way: “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” Could it really be that simple?