The Lighthouse

We rowed all the way to the Rockland lighthouse today with Alt. Ed.  That’s about a mile and a half each way.  I won’t call it an Olympian feat or anything, but for these kids in an open boat in the middle of winter it was an unimaginable triumph.

The best part about this triumph from my point of view, was that I didn’t do it.  I suggested it at one point, weeks ago, and dropped the subject.  The kids took the ball.  They set a goal for themselves, one that from their perspective, was challenging.  The leadership within the crew rose up and pulled the others along.  When the wind came up from the east, as it will in the mornings, they became more, not less determined to fight it and win.  Blissfully, that same wind helped to blow us home in time for the bus.

The crew came back elated.  The endorphins from the exercise, of course, kicked in to do their magic.  But these kids have had very little success with the school system or in life.  Here they set a serious goal, they pushed hard for that goal, and they succeeded.  They were triumphant and they should have been.

Any wise adult can now ask them, quietly, “Look at what you accomplished because you set a goal and worked for it.  Imagine what else you can do.”