Over the last month I have had the privilege of working with teachers from many different schools. Yes, just a few short weeks before the winter break, schools are wanting more professional development. This occurred because they want to learn and improve—no matter when the opportunity arises during the school year. I am in awe of these educators due to their unending desire to do what is best for all their students.

Last night I watched the movie, “The Blind Side” again. The essay written by one of the main characters, Michael, struck a chord with me. It reminded me of the teachers with whom I have worked this year. I have tried to express how highly I think of you…maybe Michael’s essay will do it for me…

“Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or a mistake, but you are not supposed to question adults or your coach or your teacher.  Because they make the rules. Maybe they know the best or maybe they don’t. It all depends on where you come from and where they come from. Didn’t at least the six hundred guys think of giving up and joining with the other side? I mean The Valley Of Death! That’s pretty salty stuff.

That’s why courage is tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes you might not even know why you do something. I mean any fool can have courage. But honor, that’s the real reason you do something or you don’t. It’s who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important, then you have both honor and courage, and that’s pretty good. I think that’s what the writer was saying. That you should hope for courage and try for honor and maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.”