Bounce

Have you noticed that every day, every hour, there is oppor­tunity to bounce? It might be a funny expression from your dog, a clever image on a T- shirt, a surprising comment by a stu­dent, an endearing story from a colleague, or the sweet expres­sion of a parent’s love. Each of these moments, and so many more, are provided for us all the time. They surround us. When we know to look for them, when we are open enough to notice them, we can feel the bounce that energizes us, at least momentarily. Our worries and tensions can absorb us in our days at school. That takes no effort. But allowing ourselves to be saturated with that heaviness is also allowing ourselves to be captives of our troubling thoughts and harried schedules. We can take a moment to shrug it off. Loosen the crust of tension and protection. Open ourselves to spotting and feeling moments that bounce. Teachers can adopt the habit of looking for and feeling the bounce in our lives. And when we do, we give ourselves a dose of vigor. We revive. When we give access to the appealing and delightful pos­sibilities that rehumanize us, we change ourselves. We smile. We love. We connect to beauty. We become resilient. We feel the bounce.