The Deep End of the Pool

Some of the best lessons in life I learned when I was a kid. Like don’t go down a slide in a cardboard box because you have absolutely no control. Don’t slide down a mound of lime rock on a sheet of tin because you have absolutely no control. Okay, so maybe I needed more than one experience to drive that point home. But it only took one experience jumping from one tree to another to realize that wasn't a great idea. That’s also how I learned what it feels like to have the wind knocked out of you. It’s really amazing that I survived childhood!

One of the most important lessons I learned was how to swim. My dad taught me how to swim by throwing me in the deep end of the pool. I somehow made it to the shallow end spitting and sputtering only to realize that he was walking along side of me the whole length of the pool. He knew I could make it. He just wanted me to realize that I had the ability to swim.

God has done that with me on a few occasions. There are things I can only learn by just jumping in the pool of experience. He knows what I am capable of; I just need to prove it to myself.

As educators, we see the potential in each student. Some do not yet realize their ability and what they might become if they will just apply themselves. They need someone to guide them along the way and maybe even throw them into the deep end of the pool of learning. Just remember to walk along side to keep them from drowning…

There are other lessons in life that we cannot prepare for; we just have to experience them. There is no easy way to experience pain, loss, or failure. But it is much easier when we have someone who can help us walk through those tough times.

One of the reasons we work in Christian education is that we have the privilege of sharing Christ and His compassion with students and their families when they face challenging times. I always enjoy hearing from families about how our teachers reach out to them in times of need. Thank you, teachers, for caring for your students!

They are only human...