A Beginning...

"The new dawn blooms as we free it,

For there is always light,

If only we’re brave enough to see it,

If only we’re brave enough to be it."

“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman

Across 30 years of teaching and coaching speech and debate, I have told hundreds of students to start with a quote, and to give the context of the quote.  I know the context of Ms. Gorman's poem was the Biden inauguration, but I  also know it says something about the way I feel about this process. 

For many years, I've written poems and "rants" as a way to process my feelings.  Ironically, for a person who teaches spoken communication, I seem to process many things better through writing.  I sometimes post those ideas on social media.  Uncomfortably often, someone will say, "Have you thought about publishing?"  "Thanks," I say, "but I just don't think anyone would really read it."  But I do wonder.  

The truth is, I wonder often.  It isn't really I don't think anyone would read it. In fact, my real fear is people might ACTUALLY read it, and hate it.  Or, maybe worse, just dismiss it.  The title of the blog is a bit of a reference to the fear.  If you know Dead Poet's Society, you'll understand.  

Ms. Gorman says "there is always light...If we are BRAVE enough to be it." 

There it is.  

I want to be brave enough to be light.  I want to put these things out there for folks to see.  Maybe they'll be worth someone reading.  Maybe some small part of it will speak to someone, connect with someone, or even help someone else process some part of life with which they are struggling to understand.  

There is the why.  Now the who.  

I've already said, I'm a teacher.  I have coached debate and speech/drama (we call it forensics, here) for 29 years.  I am a husband of an amazing, talented, brilliant woman.  I am a father of a mechanically gifted, snarky young man.  I love my family.  I love teaching and coaching.  I love music.  I love my dogs.  

Now the how.  

For awhile, I'll be posting some old writings.  I just want to get some past things out there into one "collected" spot.  Eventually, I plan to start writing more consistently, so new work may show up from time to time.  

I'm going to try to be disciplined enough to post a couple of times a week.  That may turn into a schedule, but for now, it's just a simple goal.  

Tomorrow- the first poem post.  :)

-russ


Location: Garden City, KS 67846, USA

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