I truly enjoyed this speech. I was interested to hear her speak because I had watched the movie on Lifetime about her life. I am not a big Harry Potter fan, but after watching the movie, I was able to relate to her passion and her will. I love both concepts that she spoke about. The benefits of failure and imagination. I loved when she expressed her own failures and how she learned from them by relying on herself and her drive to get through difficult times. She also spoke of her friendships which I also think are so important to keep us in check. I really enjoyed hearing that there is an expiration date on how long you can blame your parents for your failures. I liked the way she related hitting ROCK BOTTOM to the foundation on which she built her life. We will all experience failure in our lives, but as a parent, I must say it is difficult to watch your own children experience it. I have never shielded my own children from a lesson that they should have learned in school, sports, or friendships in regard to failure, but I must confess have cleaned up a few financial messes for them, that I can see in hine sight was not helpful but harmful. After listening to her and reflecting on experiences of my own and my children, I agree with her when she said that failure taught her things that she could not have learned any other way. Life is difficult and complicated and I think for many young adults today, including my own, they want easy and simple. It is hard to stand on the sidelines and watch your students or own children experience failure, but I know that is how we learn best.
I , like her, also know the importance of imagination. Teaching Kindergarteners who have vivid imaginations not only keeps me young, but keeps my mind wide open to possibilities. Looking at things through the eyes of children make holidays and everyday events so much more fun. I love the story of the Polar Express, when he talks about how he still hears Santa's bell, and that his sister and many of his friends stopped hearing the bell ring. If we choose to imagine great things for ourselves and do not let our failures or lack of imagination get in the way, then we can achieve much. Failure is an opportunity to grow and learn. It took me a while to embrace this thought, because I have a personality that is very hard on myself. But looking back over jobs that I did not get, friendship mishaps, parenting mistakes, and educational shortcomings, I can see that those failures along the way have led me right to the place I am today. They have been stepping stones to lead me right where I need to be. Thank God for failures!! And yes, I still hear Santa's bell today:)
I hope I always make my students and my own children know that it is okay to make a mistake or fail. We learn and grow and become better people because of them.
Michelle, I also appreciated what J. K. Rowling had to say about hitting rock bottom, how it allowed her to let go of everything that was not essential. Failure, like any kind of loss, makes room for truth. Without failure, we hold onto habits, concepts, expectations, etc. that no longer serve us or that never served us. That said, I wholeheartedly agree about how difficult it is to let our children fail. I see this as at school in my students' parents, and I see this in myself. I'll be sure to quote J. K. Rowling to other parents and remember her words as a parent myself.
ReplyDeleteStephanie, I agree that failure is so hard, but necessary. When I look back at the times that I failed or things did not go the way I wanted, I see now it was stepping stones for something better or not the right thing for me. I hope I can instill in my students and children that failure is a part of life, that we all have to go through to grow and become the people that god wants us to be. I enjoyed her message.
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