I’m not Jewish though at Penn I made many friends who are. They taught me about many of their traditions. One that’s always resonated with me is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It started yesterday at sundown, and I share the idea that Fall is a true new year for me.
The cool air rolls in, the leaves change color, and there’s a hint of newness around every corner in this season. 2015 has been a tough one for me, and I want nothing more than to turn the page so I decided not to wait until January 1.
Last night, I took out my cutting board, carved up an apple, poured some honey, and took in the sweetness of the new year with a lot of hope for brighter days ahead.
I want to know what’s going to happen. Tomorrow. Next week. Next year. This has been especially true for me the last few uncertain weeks. Every day, several times a day, I have to remind myself that there’s no way to know what the future holds. Wild and unexpected things happen every day. Some good. Some bad. All of them give us an opportunity to learn and grow. The best we can do is the best we can do.
Last week I went to a Paint Nite event. At Paint Nite, a professional artist leads a group of about 20 people to create a pre-designed painting. In a bar. Yes, a bar. Here is a picture of me as I’m painting an abstract, happy piece of work that features red poppies. I love that 2 hours and $25 later I walked away with a painting I created. I’ll certainly be stopping by a Paint Nite around the city more often.
Want to find a Paint Nite in your city? Click here and drink creatively!
I adore this variation on the Julius Caeser quote, “Veni. Vidi. Vici.” (We came. We saw. We conquered.) Conquering – amassing money and power – is glorified in our media and in our communities all the time. What the world needs is more love, concern, and compassion. You want to grow your sphere of influence? Do it with heart, not might.
I’m so thrilled to announce that my ed tech startup has launched a new name, branding, and website: exploreplanet3.com.
Planet3 is an exploration-based learning company. We present the entire Earth as a living laboratory through an immersive game-based environment. We’re crafting a digital platform with a compelling game-based narrative that utilizes real-world data and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to deliver better learning outcomes. Our curriculum, woven through immersive 3D experiences, will inspire teachers and students to understand the intricate connections between Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) subjects and our changing planet.
Click here to check out our press release and all the details. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Here’s to adventure!
My friend, Sara, posted this yesterday and it really helped me. Some people who will tell you what you can’t do. And once they realize you’re resourceful, they resort to criticism of anything in sight. I had that happen to me a few months back, and to be honest it’s been bugging me ever since. I couldn’t figure out why everything I did, said, had, or thought left him at least mildly dissatisfied. He is the kind of person that has a problem for every solution. And then, Sara shared this quote with me and something clicked.
His unhappiness had nothing to do with me. It never did. I was just in the unfortunate line of fire. It was him. It was always him. And with that realization, I stopped feeling badly for myself and actually felt badly for him. All the hurt I felt just melted, and I sent him a silent wish for happiness. I know my story better than anyone. He was telling me his story, not mine, and I hope that for his sake he finds a way to change what happens next rather than continuing down his current path. I know how a path like his ends, and it’s not pretty.
You can’t rescue someone from his own decision to be unhappy, but you can certainly rescue yourself from someone who just wants to bring you down. And by forging on, unhindered, you set the kindest example for that person—you show them that there’s a better way to live. Showing them what’s possible in your own strength is the greatest act of love there is.
On Saturday, I took a spin through Blagden Alley in D.C.’s Shaw neighborhood to see all of the new murals taking shape there. I was fortunate to come upon one of the artists at work. His focus and attention to detail weren’t the least bit diminished by the heat of the day, the size of the canvas he was painting, nor the fact that he was painting in an alley that looks a little worse for wear. The act of creating art was all that mattered to him and that inspires me.
There is something to be said for spending some time every day being quiet. Sometimes it’s to really hear and understand what someone else is saying. Sometimes it’s to keenly observe what’s happening around us. And sometimes it’s just to remember and recognize that the beat of our heart and the sound of our breath is a miracle.
Sometimes we resist change. We like how things are, or at least knowing how things are feels comforting because they’re familiar. Giving up what we have in the process of change feels like a loss. But what if it’s not? What if change brings us something better? Then change becomes not a process of loss, but one of gain, enrichment, and growth. That’s the kind of change I can embrace with both arms and an open heart.
Christa Avampato 