The broad themes of chapters 28-31 in The Energy Bus are reflection, renewal, redemption, perseverance,
and appreciating the moment. Each of these themes is undoubtedly comprehensive
and critical enough that you could easily have a lengthy discussion or fill a lengthy
book about each of those concepts. In these chapters, we learn that George
offers a second chance to Michael, a former energy
vampire on his team, who goes on to become a significant and vital
contributor, as he seeks redemption for his prior shortcomings. We also learn
of George’s renewed commitment to “drive with a purpose” and to “enjoy the ride”
as he loves and leads his team to ultimate success. George learns to so by
allowing his team members the freedom and flexibility to spread their wings and
blossom their ideas into feasible realities. George is also reminded to see and
to promote the greater good in each of the independent and interconnected tasks
they engage in. And all of these are presented in chapters 28-31 with the
backdrop of learning to live in the moment and learn from your prior mistakes
in order to better yourself, your impact on others, and your future success.
In reflecting on these themes in my own life, and in my own
experiences, I was drawn to a prior era in my adolescence, when I was afforded
an opportunity for redemption that eventually allowed me to become the person
and the professional that I am today. Undoubtedly, we can all think of times
when we were younger when we made extremely poor choices that we are grateful
we recovered from! I am no different. However we know as educators there are
unfortunately enough sad stories of people who never learned from their
youthful indiscretions and ended up on the path to destruction. The refreshing reminders of redemption through
reflection and growth in chapters 28-31 of The
Energy Bus resonated with me.
I can vividly recall when I was in 8th grade. In
the middle of my 8th grade school year my father took a new position
in Shanghai, China. This was after he lived abroad for work from the time I was
9 months old until I was 7 years old. Then, just before I turned 14, he again
had to move away for professional obligations. My mother did the best she could
as a single mother, raising 3 rambunctious and mischievous latch-key kids in
Southern California in the 1980s and 90s, before the dawn of cell phones,
internet, and instant access to communication and information. You can imagine these
circumstances afforded my sisters and I infinite opportunities for life-altering
poor choices. In all candor, all 3 of us took advantage of those
opportunities for misbehavior. And for me, being younger than both of my
sisters by 6 years and 9 years, I had an inordinate amount of time to make poor
choices while my mother was working 12 hour shifts with 1.5 hour commutes to and
from work. In middle and high school, some of my poor choices came with increasingly
long term implications and consequences.
There were 2 such choices in particular that I made between 8th
grade and 9th that could have seriously derailed my life and jeopardized my
future. And in today’s era of “zero tolerance policies” and “stiffer penalties”
they assuredly would have. I was fortunate to have had 2 different principals
that saw some value in me and my potential contributions, I suppose, that I was
offered opportunities for redemption. In 8th grade my mother was
literally on her knees in the principal’s office, Mrs. H, pleading for her not
to expel me for one particular poor choice. She didn’t expel me, thankfully.
But I did have to research and write a lengthy report while I was out of school
about the implications of the choice that led to my suspension. Then in 9th
grade, I remember my mother convincing the principal, Mr. P, not only to suspend
me from school for a different poor choice, but also demanding that he not
allow me to call my grandmother to come pick me up at my high school some 30
miles from our house. Instead, she made sure to tell him that I was to take the
city bus home (3 busses by the way, with all the transfers!) on the day I was
issued an extended suspension from high school.
These opportunities for redemption did not come without
consequences, of course, and rightfully so. I recall my mother called our
priest when I was given that 7 day suspension in 9th grade. He told
her to send me to the church every day from 7:00am to 4:00pm while I was out of
school. My mother’s infinite wisdom taught her to do whatever she could to
provide me with some semblance of structure, even given our circumstances. For
her, this meant relying on the lessons and resources from our faith community.
And Father John made sure I scrubbed the church pews, weeded the church lawn,
and swept the church parking lot every single day I was suspended from school. These
physical exertions were accompanied by deeply reflective conversations with him
about choices, consequences, second chances, and the road to redemption. I
still reflect on those conversations and experiences, and the lessons they
provided me. I was fortunate that I learned then the importance of relishing
second chances, remaining on the road to redemption, and righting the wrongs we
commit however and whenever we can. Doing so not only strengthens our character
but also allows us to grow and advance.
I have my mother, Father John, and Principals Mrs. H and Mr.
P to thank for continuing to believe in me while teaching me these important themes
back in 8th and 9th grade. It’s because of their choices
then, to hold me accountable and teach me to learn from mine, that I was
ultimately able to serve all of you as principal today. I will always
appreciate them for that, so I didn’t miss out on the opportunity to support
our students and staff to achieve success and reach their dreams here at
Barnwell. The most recent chapters of The
Energy Bus reminded me of those times, and that I was able to dust myself
off and continue my growth.
-Norman
-Norman
