In terms of experience, the last two weeks have been quite colorful. I enjoy meals with the warmest of families, both strangers and kinfolk. As I continue to bear witness to vivid landscapes both mountainous and coastal, I am also confronted by large swathes of cinderblocks, smog, and roadside garbage. In yoga classes, in parks, and on the street (among other locales), I’ve met farmers, mechanics, intellectuals, and ice-cream venders who appear to be some of the happiest people in the world. I have even warmed up to a few other species.
I’m greeted by the glimmering eyes of Clifford Miguel, the boxer-bulldog who has come to appreciate my affection and leftovers after each meal. Then there is the our backyard community of chickens, who now feel entitled to portions of the compost that I’ve only recently begun collecting. The rooftop rabbit is no different, as his visits to the porch outside of my room (thanks to vegetable scraps) have gone from an enjoyable oddity to a nightly certainty.
In terms of understanding and influencing my surroundings, I used to deny the vast levels of uncertainty within my own life. Teaching in a bilingual school to groups of students with incredibly diverse backgrounds and learning styles, however, has helped me to both accept as well as see the beauty within ambiguity.
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
Each time I sit down on a dingy wooden chair to work one-on-one with Noé, Angel, and Oliver, equal amounts of inspiration and frustration ambush my awareness. These three orphaned second-graders—whose hyperactivity and “disobedience” is surpassed only by the passion and creativity contained within their every verbal, facial, and bodily outburst—seem to struggle in seeing the relevance of filling-in the blanks on worksheets and repeating phrases alongside their peers. As one would expect, this unforgettable trio capitalizes on every opportunity to leap from their seats in order to express their limitless energy and feed their insatiable curiosity.
But as they strengthen my patience, they also reveal the utter abundance of their potential. While Noé has a habit of going to the bathroom and subsequently disappearing for unreasonable stretches of time, it is within every social nook and cranny of the building that he eventually surfaces–smiling from ear to ear in his little polo and trousers. While Angel may struggle to follow directions, he can (with structured encouragement) direct himself quite capably so long as colored pencils and imagination are sprinkled into the equation. I have yet to stumble upon Oliver’s hidden genius, but we are slowly working to unveil his secrets.
“I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.” -Gilda Radner
Each day that I move forward, trying to crack the codes of these struggling students’ minds (most often unsuccessfully) during each moment that I spend with them, I am forced to confront the simultaneous presence of uncertainty and possibility with which the fabric of life is woven. At the same time, I am reminded that small, nurturing acts of care and encouragement greatly impact my own life as well as the world. It seems as though life’s lessons appear in places and faces that one woud least expect, and that I am more of a student than a teacher in many ways.
As I see the faint glimmer of these three rough gems, I am also reminded of Felipe and Cristian—two of my former sixth-grade students whose equal levels of talent, energy, and non-compliance have led them away from school and onto the streets. While I will most likely never see the adult faces of Noé, Angel, and Oliver, I can be here to offer possibility.
As I recall numerous world-leaders and innovators, as well as some of my former classmates, I return to the fact that many of those who reside in the margins of our institutions are those who are most capable of greatness—and so, I return to cherish and nurture the sprouting opportunities contained within the present moment.