MAC-Week2-Response to Kerry M-Don't be serious

Kerry wrote

I found myself laughing a little more often this week despite the nerve-wracking pace I was trying to keep up. Several times, I caught myself taking myself and others too seriously several times. When I saw it, the seriousness immediately just blew away and I found myself smiling or even laughing. 

What a beautiful book this is, inspiring us to make a difference in the lives of others, to contribute and grant others importance. I’m very appreciative that this book, The Art of Possibility, was our assigned reading this month. It is giving me life again.

I have a story about a lesson that I did with my elementary art students this month. I found a little Reading Rainbow film that read the children’s book, Regina’s Big Mistake. It’s about a little girl in an art class who can’t think of what to draw. She starts to draw what some other children are drawing and they make mean comments and her teacher won’t give her another sheet of paper when she makes a mistake. Regina makes her mistake into something wonderful. All week since, my students have been telling me how they’ve made their mistake into something wonderful. These are 6, 7 and 8 year olds. I think it’s wonderful how a writer can give us that; can offer us a new and wonderful viewpoint.

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Soyeon responded

I love your story of Regina. This week I had the similar feeling about being serious all the time. I am too serious, my friends told me. They make jokes but I turn them into serious discussion. I always admired people with great sense of humor. I couldn’t bear my mistakes and I couldn’t forgive myself. This year was tough for me because I became a director of the art program, getting ready to get married, and other commitments in church. Plus this program on top of everything was more than I can bear. My AP is very meticulous and detail person and she used to give me ridiculous work that required high attention to details I used to be very nervous and panicking on little things. She is a nice person but her work style is very different from other people and that was hard to get used to in the beginning. When I was crying over very little thing because of overwhelming workload, my AP told me to be patient with myself. She said I needed to forgive myself. At first, I was mad at her who made me nervous. But, the more I think, the more it made sense. I was making things too serious. My AP asked me to do all the work and I had so much other stuff to do but I could have enjoy and just finish one by one. I didn’t have to make things too serious. I didn’t have to penalize myself for making little mistakes. Last weekend, I coordinated the art show and I felt very comfortable, not because I knew exactly what I was doing, but because I decided to allow some mistakes and enjoy the show rather than driving me crazy over little things. I went well with some mistakes. After reading this book, I remind myself not to be serious and I remind myself what my AP said, “Be patient with yourself.” Your story of Regina was also helping me think positively.