determination

Maintain a firmness of purpose
even when there are obstacles
and discord emerging.

And when discord surfaces,
fight the urge to be preoccupied about being liked
preoccupied with others' perceptions
losing sight of the purpose

feeling buried in the sand

shake it off
revisit the goal
stick with it

compelling

We are reading aloud
the book, Swimming to Antarctica,
as a family.

All together
in the big bed
limbs tangled
unaware of the clock

wonderings generated
exclamations expressed
quiet contemplation

absorbing the story
of Lynne Cox

talk of
potential
effort
strength
focus
dreams

example

our principal
ran 42 miles today
to represent and honor
the work, focus, and perseverance
of the students and teachers
at Einstein

he lifts us up
exudes potential
seeds confidence
and reminds us
to do what we think
we cannot

clarity

clear, transparent

free of ambiguity

living with guiding principles

as your core

advocacy

putting my thoughts and words
into action

engaging in conversations
that pose a challenge

focusing on being solution oriented

blind-sided

It's that unexpected jolt
sparked with emotional flutter.

Contemplation, writing, rehearsal
bring me clarity.

Engage in a conversation
with the Golden Rule
as the basis

Perceptions rule.

Situations are complex.

Stand up for yourself
with integrity.

sand

The wind was steady
at the beach

I spread out on a towel
face close to the sand
and watched the grains tumble by