Poise and Rationality

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hw1MFobWD_o
Taylor Mali’s speech: Inspired me a lot so I decided to blog on it, too.

———————
He says the problem with teachers is, "What’s a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about
teachers:
That those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the urge to remind the other dinner guests
that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite conversation.

"I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor"
"Be honest. What do you make?"

And I wish he hadn’t done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
which is, if you ask for it, then I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and I can make an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

You wanna know what I make?

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence.
No, you can not work in groups.
No, you can not ask a question (so put your hand down)
Why won’t I let you go to the bathroom?
Because you’re bored and you don’t really have to go, do you?

You wanna know what I make?

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home at around dinner time:
"Hi, This is Mr. Mali, I hope I haven’t called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something your son did today.
he said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage that I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are
and who they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell
definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful
over and over again until they will never misspell
either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And then hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them realize that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
based on what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you,
Let me break it down for you,
so you know what I say is true:
I make a god damn difference! What about you?

The world’s crumbling down upon her at this moment,
As she lifts herself off her feet and plunge,
Did she realize the pain she’d cause to others?
Or did she just want to be free?

Hell awaits, she falls ahead,
Her mother will be in despair soon,
Did she think of the tears she’d bring up tonight?
Or did she worry only of hers?

Pity for her, comes tomorrow,
But pity, she shed not for those beside her,
If she thought she was stupid,
She wasn’t until then,
For choosing an unwise decision.

Did she fear hate from those beside her?
Or did she hate them for nothing?

A selfish death, she’s cast tonight,
When the world evolves around her,
Did she stop to realize her mistake of this?
Or was she halfway down the path; too late?

Will people deny the self-conceit,
And only worry of how she’d felt,
She didn’t die a happy death,
And left others unhappy as well.

A selfish death, she’s placed upon,
The moment her feet felt air,
Her mother’s calling her name, yes,
Oh but did she really care?

She’s ended her life,
And ruined the rest,
Did she think she’s escaped it all?
She’s left burden to those who’d see tomorrow,
As she took the ending fall.

A selfish death, we do not see,
They’ve only seen their tears,
If she had known of her narcissism,
She’d had left it along the trail.

We take on pity,
But will anyone find,
The stupidity of her actions?
Will someone realize her judgement, so false,
And hate her for what she’s given?

Her selfish death,
They will remember,
Only as a loss of hope,
But I will remember it,
I’ll remember it true,
Her self-conceit profound.

What decisions do we have to make when it is time for us to make them? Whispers of fate left us so cold as we stumble upon the long, twisted story of life, wondering which step to take, wondering which hour of need should we choose to seek for help we might not be able to find. Will we slip on a wet stone as we cross that raging river that obstacles us? Will we plunge into the river rapids, enjoying rebellious freedom that has splattered amongst our feet, so bold as to lure us into snatching for it. Freedom.

Yes. Life is a dwelling choice, living upon your breathe like a deity, conscious of the choices you make, as you choose to face consequences you’d wish you never had to. Look, there he goes, another one, he’s left the road to the wide prairie that lies invisible to our eyes until we close them with silent goodbyes. Will we see him again? Each time you blink, what message will pass through your head? Each time you blink, do you smell freedom or pressure; right or wrong?

We were given tears to speak up words our hearts can’t seem to say. But were we given words to shatter hearts that failed to please us? Were we given words to bring up tears that shed so worthless; from our worthless words? Can we see that seeing is not believing, it’s our ears that play the part?

If life was a puzzle, where are the missing pieces?
At a sorry state, will you replenish your memory with regrets, just to make things worse? Would you live your day away, staring out that window with a broken frame, with a photo of long lost happiness in your hands?
Who can define life so clearly? A word in the dictionary can mean so much more but to the eyes of the reader, mean so little.

We do not have 9 of what we rely on to make choices we might regret in the future. We do not have a second chance to turn things around, the way it should have been. We aren’t allowed U-Turns in reality. Choices can be fixed, but not taken back. Will you expect to make the right decisions when it is time to make them?

Life engulfs us everywhere we go, but it is only death we remember. Momma’s just died, daddy, what can I do?
Live, my dear child, live.

What is there to choose, when you don’t know where to go on the highway you’re driving through?
What is there to love, when you don’t appreciate those beside you?
What is there to fear when death is the end?