Educational Excellence

Happy Friday, All!

It is customary, not only here, ” … but there, and everywhere!” to T.G.I.F.! Just Wednesday, after yoga, I was chatting with one of my classmates who said that she was from Colombia … Medellin, to be exact! She was so excited when I told her that I had lived in Cali for five years, and, that my mother had come to visit me one year while there during “Semana Santa”, the USA equivalent of Easter. After we had talked about the food, the music, and yes … the ladies, we got to talking about Fridays in Colombia. Cali is like the party capitol there, though there are other cities who claim that same fame. Fridays are called, “Viernes Cultural”, translation: Cultural Friday! So, therefore, one may deduce that one would enjoy all the cultural things there – singing, dancing, going to “fincas” or farms for the weekend, soccer (futbol) games, horseback riding and boating or swimming. So, “Feliz Viernes Cultural, mi gente!”

Sometimes, like last night and the night before, I like to “wind down”, so to speak. In the past, I remember the full moons had me acting like a “lunatic” and I often couldn’t find my way home!! Now, I am not proud of those days and nights, but they are recorded in my personal history and I have drawn multiple lessons from them. One of those is “moderation, my friend”! As I watched the news last night, they had a story about the water levels rising in certain areas in Miami … due to the somewhat high tide and the full moon! Believe it … or not! What I am trying to say is that it has been documented that the fullness of the moon historically has caused changes in the environment, as a testimony to the force or power of the moon at this stage and the effects on planet Earth. So, Wednesday, after a great yoga class, I came home and cooked … enough for my dinner and lunch the next day. Last night after walking outside of my flat and viewing the beauty of this natural phenomenon, I came inside again, checked out the basketball game, cooked and chilled. Moderation, my friend.

Fridays and Saturdays are always my fun days … again … in moderation my friend! After all, it is the weekend … but I want to see another weekend, again and again … if I can!

“I drink not from mere joy in wine nor to scoff at faith – no, only to forget myself for a moment, that only do I want of intoxication, that alone.” – Omar Khayyam

Nowadays, I have learned to choose healthier forms of “intoxication”, if you will, like writing, yoga and meditation … and just being at peace with myself and others.

Have a great weekend … in moderation, my friends!

Peace,

John I. Cook, Director