Hashtags

I love hashtags. I know it is strange, but I find that they are like a great ribbon on a present. I enjoy exploring hashtags and linking hashtags to other people. Recently I created a new hashtag for my family. For a very long time our hashtag for #rosepartyof4. Not re-“hash” old pain, but we are no longer a party of 4 and we needed a new hashtag. I landed, with the help of a friend, on #brokenheartsbutfullofhope and this fits us just perfectly. We are broken hearted. We are hurt. We are in pain. But we have hope. We have hope that we will get through this together-with our faith and with our friends. We have hope that we will use this pain to help others one day. We hope that we can continue to build my husband’s legacy. We hope that we can continue to make him proud-he was always so very proud of me and our two boys. We hope above anything else that one day our broken hearts will be healed and we will be whole again.

One of the things that I’ve struggled with since my husband’s passing is how I can fill the void that will exists for my boys. There are so many things that we did as a family, but there are others that I avoided. One of those things is the love of Star Wars. Until recently I have never, nope not ever, seen any Star Wars movie. In one of my sleepless nights recently I watched Star Wars-A New Hope. The story takes place after the fall of Anakin Skywalker, the rise of Darth Vader and the conquering empire. It follows a boy and girl who are separated by galaxies but connected by bloodline and destiny. At some point in the movie, Princess Leia sends out a message of help. She very desperately says, “Help me Obi Wan Kinobi, you’re my only hope.”

It is an interesting statement and one of extreme desperation. You’re my only hope. While I felt for Princess Leia, I really started thinking about Obi Wan Kinobi.  It is hard to know that you’re someone’s hope. But that is what we are in this world of education. For so many of our students, we are not their “only” hope, but unfortunately we do have students where we are their only hope. Either way, we are hope for our students and it is a responsibility that we can’t take lightly.

In having hope, you need to be able to “see” the future. I was having a conference with a parent recently when I explained to the parent that while we are discussing a 7 year old, I am looking at that 7 year old as an 18 year old. I believe in the future of that student and so many others. We also must be committed to the process of learning. Achieving anything takes time and great care. The commitment to the process requires high levels of expectations and work. This can’t happen from a teacher pay teacher packet or a worksheet. It requires individualized learning and a deep relationship with a student.

In that same Star Wars movie another character states, “the hard is what makes it great!”  No written words could be more true.

There is no easy or quick way to give hope to students. But it is possible. And not only is it possible, it is our responsibility. 

Without hope, there is very little else to continue the hard work.