Exhibit A: Flat Tire
Life is filled with ironies. Things that make you laugh. Things that break your heart. Things. I remember so clearly, speaking at my high school graduation, the very words I spoke in front of my friends, family, faculty, and community almost 20 years ago.
We are behind the wheel and we can head out on the highway of life and go in any direction. We may have an occasional flat tire of bad luck, a speed bump of failure, or a pothole to slow us. We must not let that stop us from reaching our destination. We must carefully plot each turn and be determined to make it wherever we desire.
I believe those words back then. But, I had no idea how true they really are. Life would teach me that.
Yesterday morning, I woke up at 3:00 am to drive to #edcampCENLA. Two hours from home, in the middle of nowhere, Texas. Flat tire. GPS said “13 miles to the nearest gas station.” I creeped along until I found the one gas station, still closed because it was far too early, but well lit enough to prevent the soundtrack from Psycho to play in my head while I stood there, and changed my tire. I had to laugh. Should I turn around at this point? Nope. I had come this far. I kept going. It was worth it. I got to see my great friend Emily, her amazing school, and be reminded that the passion in education is all around us, when we choose to look for it. On the way home? I saw parts of Texas and Louisiana I had never seen before. I stopped a few times to take photos because it was beautiful out. Blue skies. Warm fresh air. Some of the tallest trees I’ve ever seen. A good friend who shares an excitement for technology, learning, and life. And a spare tire.
It’s the journey, not the destination. And the days we wonder if it is, or can’t see it? We’ve got people in our lives who will remind us. People who join us on the journey and pull us along when we need it. Support. Listeners. Mentors. Guidance. Love. And that? It makes the journey all worth it.
PS: In case you’re wondering what we learned about and shared at EdcampCenla today? Here you go… we took notes in Google Docs so that you could follow along. No spare tire necessary to view.