At first glance, these two objects may not make sense together. But, they are two of the most wonderful things I own because they remind me of ideas that I should not forget.
The pencil was given to me by my late friend George Mitchell, a long time school teacher and advocate of children using computers. George called his room filled with students "monsters" because of his unique teaching style.
He gave the kids a pencil to remind them that they belonged in a kind of club. That feeling of belonging is an important life lesson.
He told me some kids had never seen a personalized pencil. He gave it to me and immediately took it back. He knew I would archive it and never use it. He walked over to the pencil sharpener, and to my horror, sharpened it down this small. He told me to use it up, "because life is short, and so are you!"
George lived every day as a cancer survivor to the fullest. He knew he was going to die and that nothing is forever. Make mistakes. Erase them and try again. Wake up each morning and strive to do your best.
Obviously, the magnifying glass, is a symbol of what we are all searching for. This once belonged to my maternal grandfather. I liked using it as a child to "make things big". Now, I use it everyday because things need examining more closely.
Go out and get a pencil and a magnifying glass. You need them.
3 comments:
Wow (said softly). What a lesson. Thanks for sharing this, Midge.
George sounds like he was a very wise and kind man. I keep a magnifying glass on hand, too, and I will look at it differently now. Jo
Love this! Thank you for introducing us to George Mitchell.
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