Lives Well Lived

After a day like yesterday I am reminded again how fortunate my children are to be part of a public school community that goes to great lengths – with support from monumental volunteer efforts – to inspire, inform and enlighten our children to follow their dreams and reach way beyond themselves. It was the culminating day in a year-long themed program called Lives Well Lived. A talented group putting in huge effort pulled this off seamlessly. It’s the kind of program that makes me really appreciate living in America, where my children can benefit from this kind of inspired energy, where there are abundant individuals who have been able to pursue their dreams in such diverse forms, and where people feel honored to take time out to talk to kids about it. (And to top it off, other volunteers supplied a beautiful luncheon and hospitality, stimulating an environment for the speakers, staff and volunteers to get to know each others’ life work and interests.)

I was originally going to write a THANK YOU note to the organizers, but I decided instead I’d shout it from the rooftops – and this blog is the closest thing I have to that.

“In its 8th year, the T/E Middle School PTO sponsors a series of year-long programs to expose students to extraordinary examples of the human spirit who live among us and allow students to draw their own conclusions about choices and behaviors in their own lives” (from the brochure, available at http://www.tesd.k12.pa.us/tems/lwl.pdf). I participated as one of the 40+ speakers invited to share my experiences around this year’s theme ‘Imagine That – “Dare to Dream! Live Your Dream!”’

Other speakers ranged from authors and bakers to scientists, veterinarians, conductors, athletes, international volunteers, local TV personalities, yogis, and an ultra-marathoner, who recently ran the Sahara Desert (and who also blogged the experience for philly.com).

The kids were noticeably moved by many of the presentations and I felt an excitement in the air throughout the school, all day long. Most importantly, I heard both girls and boys express that the day had actually “inspired” them.