Make Good Choices

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     After studying art during my high school and college years, I ended up creating art more for pleasure, rather than continuing through a formal avenue. This is not to say that I have not encountered art through my journey of learning. I continue to think about art, the benefits for trauma healing, as a mindfulness practice, and also arts contributions to and for social and political movements, or awareness. Anything that we desire to create actually becomes political, or a memory that is related, or enshrined as a piece of history. We can think of the World Championship Rings, that are Designed by Fred Cuellar CEO of Diamond Cutters International, that will mark the World Baseball Championship win for 2017, or the art of Diego Rivera. His art was a significant contribution to the Mexican and also American Revolution. Whilst the effect of creating a social / political awareness might be more or less for certain artists, or the arts. What all creations have in common is the desire to create a message, an idea, a thought, and a representation. The unfortunate aspect of many famous artists and their creations and art works, is that they mostly become famous after their death. However, we cannot ignore the revolutionary aspects that the arts  possess, so why not embrace great arts, and artists while they are living? 

     As educators, researchers in the field, we are constantly thinking about the generations that we are responsible for. Sometimes as educators, adults, or even parents we have to realize ourselves that what worked for us, might not work for millennials, or future generations. In other words, each generation contributes something for the next. We can think of the progressions of science, medicine, technology, and health. Research in the field has allowed to improve methods, practices, and health care. These benefits trickle to the homes in the forms of better living, healthy habits, or comfort and ease through technology. But with innovation, there are also experimental phases. There will be trials and error. Let us think about Marijuana. There have been protests to legalize Marijuana for adult recreational use. In fact while I was in Washington DC., I remember watching a protest take place outside The White House. Whilst I do recognize that there is a case for the medical, controlled use of Marijuana, I do think that this should not be an excuse to allow anyone to say that it is good for health, so we should do this. My words and thoughts are specifically geared towards students and children who are under the legal age to smoke.

     As educators we have a duty to ensure that these habits are not promoted in schools, especially because it is not legal, and this is an addictive substance. It creates unhealthy habits, not to mention the impacts upon brain development. It deters from the teaching and learning processes. What is also known with the smoking of Marijuana (pot, weed) in and around schools is that groups form. In other words you become part of a group, or known as the in-group. 

     Please don't take my thoughts to offence if you are an adult who is reading this and engages in Marijuana use, a spiritual person who uses Tobacco or Marijuana for spiritual practices. My argument is specifically for the care of  students who are in school. When an adult majority is trying to legalize Marijuana, and promoting it through the levels of health, you have to remember that kids are also picking up on these conversation, they are smart and will try every trick in the book to legitimize their own use.​

     Whilst the health research, and the legalization processes continue, educators, leadership, and administrators, have to remember that it is not legal for students who are smoking and are under age. In other words it is viewed as a criminal offence. However, as educators we also know too well, that kids get caught up in these acts through the socialization process, and choices that they make. If this is the case, it still does not mean that we give up on students / kids. The success of students is the success of teacher, administrators, and the school community. With reminders, efforts,  conversation, and support; Educators, administrators wait for the student in the hope that they will embrace the teaching, learning, and build healthy friendships for their own success. 

Dedication: The words of this being are dedicated to students, this is Your Life. Make Good Choices. My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

These thoughts were originally hand - written on December 7th, 2017.
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