My Greatest Fear

I’m a tough guy. I’m from the hard-wrought cotton fields of Arkansas, and I have been in more backwoods fights than I can remember. My mom used to buy us (my brothers and me) boxing gloves for Christmas. I can’t really remember being afraid of anyone – except maybe my dad and my (now-huge) younger brothers.

But I have a fear. A fear that I think should set any educational heart a-trembling. Here it is: I’m afraid of missing the simple things.

I’m afraid of missing the simple things in general, like sunsets (they happen every day!), blooming flowers, and the mannerisms of my wife or daughter. But also the simple things that are plenteous within and without the walls of a classroom.

As an educator, I should seek to investigate the souls of my students: their passions, their will, their emotions and mannerisms that I might not miss the simple things and the divine opportunities of teaching. I should set it as a goal to survey creation for things to show my students in order to display the wonderment of the world as a theater of glory.

My greatest fear is that I won’t do these things as a teacher.

Oh, yeah…and I’m afraid of snakes.