You ever have one of those days?  You know, one of THOSE days?  It’s been pretty unsettling around here recently.  I’m certain everyone to some degree is having one of THOSE days.

Cabin fever is in full tilt and every evening I’m greeted to the chorus of silence.  What I’ve come to understand is my kids expect me home by a certain time and as long as I meet check in we’re good.  That was then.  Things are much different now.  We’re juggling meals to kids who need them, wondering when we’re good to go, and what all this means.  We’re watching church via livestream and shopping multiple grocery stores to get all the items on our list.

I was corresponding with a former supervisor last night and she reminded me of what this work meant to me.  I started in public ed to be a voice for those that need it and now it seems we all need to be advocating for one another.  So full disclosure, I’m tired.  I’m tired as I write this and I grow more tired when I think about the work that lies ahead.  And then I remember what’s at stake.

My family was together yesterday when news broke about Kenny Rogers.  My wife and I started belting out the tracks and my oldest was like “Who?” and “you mean Mr. Rogers?”  And we’re like NO, the Gambler!  We made our younger son cue up the karaoke and both boys suffered through track after track…

And then last night the toilet overflowed which was pretty symbolic I must say.  We raced to shut off the water and contain the damage as the ceiling in our kitchen started to sag (it sits right below the upstairs bathroom).

When I got up this morning for whatever reason I thought about Walt Whitman but not for “O Captain!  My Captain!” which was popularized in more contemporary media through Dead Poets Society.  I had New York on my mind and remembered the longer poem “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry.”  Whitman free-versed through a tale of commuters before the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883 and their daily travels on a ferry running between Brooklyn and Manhattan.  It’s a story about the shared human experience that connects us all throughout generations and the rituals that endure.  That, collectively, we are all a part of a larger family; he writes about a sense of unity.  And he delivers a message on hope…

“Be firm, rail over the river, to support those who lean.”

Today was a tough day for my school district.  It was a tougher day for the campus where my wife is a first grade teacher.  Each year our 5^th graders journey some distance for overnight camps as part of our district’s broader curriculum.  On these excursions we recruit parent volunteers to assist and also provide our students with some familiar comforts.  We had a tragedy involving a parent couple enroute to chaperoning earlier today.

Our district communication response was general and vague, but I understand the constraints these types of situations present.  We want to be as transparent as possible while abiding by the rules that we are obligated to adhere to.

So let me take you behind the scenes a bit; as much as I can.  We had a tragedy and we’ll leave it at that – it involved my teacher wife’s school and it involved my teacher wife’s students; so now I’m more involved.  We’re all just reeling and trying to get clarity around the news.  I was offsite, out of city, when my phone started to blow up so I stepped away from my conference and made the hotel room my own personal headquarters.  After the customary calls to those I would call in my role I called a dear friend and asked he drop everything and go onsite – he did.  I also reached out to my pastor for support as they have adopted this particular school and provide ongoing welcome support throughout the year.

In the end, we have three beautiful children going home to a completely different reality.  It’s certainly not fair and it weighs on everyone involved, but I’d like to believe our community is strong enough to step in.  We will continue to lend the “what can I do” attitude.  As I was calling/texting/harassing the campus principal today and concerned about her but also my wife, a principal colleague responded and said she was unavailable but he was by her side.  I texted him I was concerned about my wife’s reaction and he said the whole first grade team was crushed and taking it hard; I appreciated his candor.  He’s a great principal and just a better than great dude by showing up to lend support.  It’s a scary world sometimes and I gave up ten years ago trying to make sense of it all but I’m uplifted each day by the belief we’re generally in this together.  Tonight will be long and tomorrow longer, but I know we have the right compassionate leaders ready to respond accordingly.