Thought For The Week 14 May 2023

I want to share a poem I wrote some years back – the vivid memory for me is Mr O’Connor calling the roll each morning in my Standard 6 class at Highfield School.  I think Mr O’Connor was my best teacher.

present

when i was at school the teacher called the roll

the child named required to answer ‘present’

with that answer was an invitation even a summons

to receive the gift of a world opening before me

i of course was not aware of the dimensions of the gift

often treating the classroom as a space to be endured

now i know better

and am having to play catch up

What does being ‘present’ mean?

I would say it is being attentive, available, and alive to each day.