Peek back, move on
Traditionally I make a Greek New Year’s bread called Vasilopita which is baked with a coin inside. As the new year arrives the bread is cut, a slice for each family member, friends and neighbors. Whoever is the finder of the buried coin is blessed with fortune during the year. I wish you all the best of luck and good fortune during 2024!
Recently I learned about the Pridrangar Lighthouse that stands 110 feet from the ocean’s surface. The name Pridrangar means “three rock pillars” which reflects the giant sea stacks upon which the lighthouse rests. It is located in Iceland, six miles off the southern coast and was constructed in 1939. Experienced mountaineers were recruited to scale the sea stack to build it. When life is challenging perhaps giving thought to how difficult it was to build the lighthouse will provide some ease in your load.
Today I pause for a short time to review my 2023. I am feeling all the emotions of living each day to the fullest. I think about the challenges I’ve taken on including planning the Sestercentennial (250 years) for my small Maine town, the new things I’ve learned like carving wooden spoons, the medical situations I’ve faced including carpal tunnel surgery, the collaborations I’ve been part of including stitching a 25 foot by 7 feet piece of art that will hang in a law firm in Philadelphia. I’ve been thrilled to publish a book after working with a poet friend for almost 2 years, to visit with friends that I haven’t seen in 50 years, and to travel to a country I’ve never been to. I am grateful for the small things in life including watching amazing sunrises from my front yard, paddling along silently as an eagle flies overhead, walking through the woods to look closely at tracks in the snow. I never lose sight of how fortunate I am which reminds me to have an open heart when sewing hundreds of dresses and pants for children in other countries or taking time to make cards for friends or going to lunch with an older friend once a month. As with many of you, I am feeling the tragedy of the shootings in Lewiston. The many young children, relatives and friends who have lost loved ones during a few minutes of a day. My heart breaks for people around the world who endure the daily terrors of war. I think about the environment and work to minimize my negative impact.
I am mindful of the importance of light, reaching as many as possible. My biggest question as a teacher: Is what I’m doing in the best interest of every learner? The question I ask today is: Am I contributing to help make the world a better place? As I consider my hopes and dreams for 2024 please know that I appreciate the work educators do every day in the classroom. You may have heard me say this during the pandemic and it still rings true today: Whatever you decide to do, is the right thing and enough. Thank you for continuing to spread your light. As we look up at the sky on a clear Maine night and see the same stars we are all connected.
me arts ed 