This week I told the students to be prepared to write about themselves. I am thinking and thinking and thinking about this idea of different people having different things to offer the world.

One of the primary things I believe I have to offer the world is that when I look at people I see what they do well and why they are necessary. I don’t have to like them. I don’t have to personally value what they have to offer–that isn’t quite the same thing. I see people and most people go through life unseen. I didn’t recognize it as a gift until I was an adult.

For most of my life I have believed that the only “talent” or “gift” I had was the ability to read fast. Sure, I can read faster than 80% of people alive (maybe more than that–I read really fast) but how much has this actually made my life better? No way to judge.

I was thinking this morning about how my kids are growing up. One of these days I will blink too long and they will be adults out living on their own. What do I do then? How do I continue to believe that I should not die to conserve resources for someone better and more worthy. 

Noah has a pretty strict no-yardwork policy. Yesterday he used a big sledge hammer to break up concrete for me. He worked for at least three hours. (We broke in the middle and I didn’t track it carefully.) He did that so I wouldn’t have to do it alone. Because I want the concrete gone this week so I can put up the swings before the party. I’m about out of time. I also tacked down the edge of the slide, attached the bottom of the rope ladder, and put up all the rock climbing hand holds.