Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom (And Whimsy)
Posted on May 6, 2026 under Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom with no comments yet
“Readin’ and ‘ritin’ and ‘rithmetic”
“Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends.”
With a Little Help From My Friends – Lennon and McCartney
CAUTION: OLD MAN RANT
It’s hard to remain positive and optimistic these days. Democracy is under threat. The ozone layer is rapidly depleting. Several species of animals are becoming extinct, and the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t won a Stanley Cup in fifty-nine years.
Where does hope reside?
As a society we have never been more connected and disconnected. Both things can be true. We can speak with anyone on the planet with one click, yet we rarely take the time any more to cross the street to chat with our neighbour. We can “shop till we drop” without stepping outside our homes, yet small businesses in our communities are going under because their customer base won’t take the time to put on their shoes to go and buy local. The internet screams at us in unrelenting fashion, yet loneliness and depression are at all-time highs.
As hokey as this may sound, I believe it is possible to go back to the good old days. The first step, IMHO, is to reduce screen time. All of us. We’re always going on and on about our youth and their obsession with electronic devices. “Let he who not spent excessive amount of time on Facebook, cast the first stone.” With apologies to John 8.7 of the Bible.
Human connections. Community.
I spend a lot of time in school these days. In many ways, schools haven’t changed that much since dinosaurs roamed the earth when I attended schools in the 50s and 60s. There are rectangular classrooms, long corridors, smelly gymnasiums, teachers standing at the front of the room and young people sitting restlessly at their desk, praying for recess, a storm day or summer vacation. The content hasn’t changed a great deal, but methodology and technology have.
In this environment, human connection is inescapable. It is still the bedrock of education. Students are getting their first taste of independence. They are learning about teamwork, following instructions, winning and losing, problem solving, time management, and respect.
I am quite chuffed these days.
Very often, at the beginning of the day, I will ask students to give me a score out of ten as to how they are feeling. It gives me an idea of “the temperature in the room”. When they have all weighed in, I give my score. It is always 10/10. Pollyannaish you say? Why wouldn’t I be ten out of ten? I am able to get out of bed, shower, dress myself, have breakfast and walk to school. I have a roof over my head, enough food to eat, and lots of friends. I don’t mention my aches and pains to them. What’s the point. If we dwell too much on what ails us, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
And, not to spoil the cheery nature of this post, many friends and former classmates have not made the grade.
There is still a place for face-to-face engagement.
Is there anything better when a student approaches you in the hallway or on your way home from school and gives you a fist pump or a high five? The other day, a few students asked me if they could work in the pod. Modern schools have small areas with lovely skylights, where students can work outside the classroom. I usually ask them if they promise to work quietly and respectfully as there are other classrooms in close proximity. On this day, the student held out her hand and said, “Pinkie promise”, a traditional solemn pledge made by interlocking little fingers (pinkies) with another person to signify a sincere, binding promise. We both had a hearty chuckle.
As buses roll by me on my way home from school, children on the bus will bang on the window and wave to me.
I know that this all sounds quite puerile, but it is the ultimate in human connection and it feels good.
Invariably, on my daily walks, I bump into someone I know, and we chat about the weather, sports, and politics. But most of us, it is an “organ recital” as we talk about our new heart valves or gall bladder removal. And loved ones we have lost.
So, how are we to get out of our funks?
We somehow have to find our way through the brambles and the bushes to a time when community meant something. An online community is not like playing crib with your friends. Playing Wordle is not like going to a pancake breakfast. Reading a book or picking strawberries (if you are able to get down on the ground … and back up!)) is not like doomscrolling, that insidious pastime of compulsive, excessive consumption of negative news which often leads to anxiety, depression and poor sleep.
Put down that mouse and get out of the house.
“With a little luck, we can help it out,
We can make this whole damn thing work out.
With a Little Luck – Wings
Best wishes to all you mothers out there.
Have a great weekend.
