EDUCATE

By Tekla A. Syers

How easily we turn aside
OOfrom our goals,
OOfalter and give up,
OOredirect ourselves into gloom
OOand away from greatness
OOwhen we’re unfamiliar
OOwith the boundlessness within us.

We would push on
OOif we only suspected
OOour capacity.

We’re easily seduced,
OOblocked, and exhausted
OOwithout a vision to drive us,
OOit’s sweet smell to lift us
OOwhen we falter,
OObrush us off
OOand send us on our way.

Boundless capacity and vision
OOof who we are
OOand what we might accomplish
OOis at the core of us…
OOis the core of us, each of us.

This boundless core
OOis the seed of our greatness
OOsleeping within us,
OOawaiting an opportunity to express.

Education reveals our boundlessness.

Education,
OOnot training or containing,
OOnot managing, overseeing,
OObabysitting or policing.

The role of the educator, formal or otherwise,
OOis to seek,
OOrecognize,
OOacknowledge,
OOawaken,
OOnurture,
OOencourage,
OOdevelop,
OOand protect this revelation,
OOthis unique core of greatness in each one.

This seed of greatness
OOis the gift of us
OOto the world,
OOto the community,
OOto our family, and ourselves.

As we cultivate this boundlessness
OOin each one,
OOin each generation,
OOwe strengthen ourselves,
OOour communities, and nations.

We are all made more resilient,
OOinnovative,
OOand relevant.

As we, in our daily capacity, educate
OOand bring forth the greatness
OOin each one we touch,
OOthe best of all possible worlds is brought forth.