So here we go, another year, another moment to consider what has been, what might be, blah, blah, blah. Cynical, I know, and not the best way to enter the new year. But here’s the story:
This morning, we stop at our local coffee shop to grab some breakfast. As I pull into the small parking lot, two spots are taken up by a black Jaguar, so I have to squeeze the Prius into a smaller, puddle filled spot near the curb. Grrrr. We get out. The Jaguar is idling.
“Hey Dad,” Tucker starts, pointing. He’s a trained idling spotter.
“I know,” I say. “Knucklehead.” Grrrr. There is a local police car in the lot as well. Hmmm…
We go inside, refill cups in hand, and standing at the coffee bar is the Jaguar’s owner. Easy to spot: Long, Western leather cowboy coat with a brown Stetson hat. Right out of a Jaguar commercial. (I know, stereotyping. Sue me.) Wendy is better at this than I am, asking people to shut their cars off. Making the point that idling is among the habits that is slowly killing us all. But he looks like he’s leaving, so I sheepishly give him a pass. I’m a wimp.
We sit down to eat, watch as the local morning coffee klatsch breaks up, and flag down the township patrolman as we walks by our table.
“Can I ask you a question?” Wendy says. He nods. She asks “There’s a new anti-idling law in New Jersey, right?” He nods again. “So what do you do when you see a car that’s idling out in the parking lot? Ticket him?”
The patrolman gives a little shrug and shakes his head. Smiles a bit. “Well,” he says. “We don’t really do anything.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Well,” he smiles. “I mean, we don’t really enforce that law.”
Oh. I. See. I look at Tucker. He looks at me, then at the policeman, then back at me. Message received. “And what other laws don’t you enforce?” I want to ask, just for future reference. But I don’t. He wishes us a “happynewyear” and leaves.
Grrrr.
I have one resolution that I think is worth making: At every moment, as much as I can, be the change.
happynewyear…
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Great post! We all need to take heed – be the change! That should be the motto for 2008 – Be the change we want to see! It can be applied in so many ways and on so may levels. Thanks for the inspiration. Happy 2008!
Where’s Kathy Bates when you need her…”TOWANDA! I’m older and more insured!” [Fried Green Tomatoes reference]
I’ve been reading several people lately, reflecting, genuflecting, and peering into the future. “Be The Change” is becoming a common theme. I like it, but I wonder how strong we will stay if being the change truly costs us something…I think I’ll make that my New Year’s post. It’s easy to say we will “do what it takes” before we understand what it’s going to take to get the job done.
It is also easy to speak of change when it costs us nothing. This is one reason I respect you, Will. You “gave up” the security of the classroom to seek to influence change in our national education practice. That is a cost many will not consider. That is why, I think, so many others commented in your earlier post about being the change “from within” the system. It’s safer there. But positive systemic change is not going to happen from within. Change seldom happens from within. External forces were required to create change in nearly every major historical, freakonomic, and political shift.
Cynicism aside, this does not mean that we give up if we choose to stay on the inside. External coups usually need an “inside man” to be successful. :0)
Enough for now. Here’s hoping your new year coffee is always fresh, your Prius rides smoothly, your family is blessed, and you life is enriched.
Good inspiration for a new year. Thanks!
I’d like to think I’d have the guts to walk up to someone and tell them they were wrong (hey! you! turn off that car, and put it in one parking spot while you’re at it!), but I also think that police officer should have taken more responsibility. Should it be all of our jobs to do the officer’s? Would he do ours? How far could we take “be the change”?
I wouldn’t have thought it out of line to ask what other laws they choose not to enforce, though…
You’ve really got me thinking. Thank you!
We must be the change we wish to see or there will be no change! A good motto to live by. Now if I just could. Is there colombian decaf there?
We’re starting the hear “Be the change” on a lot of fronts. I heard an interesting twist at a workshop on “Educating for Sustainability” a few weeks ago: “EVERYTHING you do makes a difference. Is it the difference you WANT to make?” I wonder if that officer of the law (well, some of them maybe) had any thoughts after-the-fact. I hope Tucker gave him a very quizzical look; I also hope Tucker does not give up on law enforcement officials. I remember my own teenage son’s response to his first face-to-face with a cop: his child-like admiration was knocked right on its ear and he verbalized his doubt that he would be such a good citizen again soon. 🙁
There is a Christian Rock song with the wordsw “Are you who you want to be?” (probably have it wrong). Learners in my room focus on that…I hope they focus on it outside of the room too – that is the real test!
Look how quickly this blogging thing became the change. Now, to get the most current info on information technology and education and leadership, etc., I read the blogs….no more journals until I’m writing a formal paper/book/presentation for the university where I NEED “scholarly” references (hopefully, that will change soon, too). So, let’s be the change….keep at it….keep doing what we’re doing and eventually, they’ll have to jump on board to keep up. But then again, we’ll be on to bigger and better things, right???? Happy New Year – off to party!
Will,
Thought provoking post. The part I liked best was the question about the enforcement of laws. Cops, like teachers, are allowed discretion in most situations. One would argue it makes them more effective to deal with in dividual situations. The problem arises when laziness or disinterested is the reason they choose not to act and not a mitigating circumstance.
Further question for you. What if your change and another’s change that you are “being” butt heads like a flying buttress?
Best wishes for 2008.
Barry
Will,
Happy New Year to you and yours! When you say “…every moment, as much as I can, be the change” is exactly the point. We need to be change agents in education and in life. I don’t think you should qualify the comment with “as much as I can,” as I am sure you do as much as you can. We all need to be change agents, all the time. Reading your blog and your book as well as implementing your ideas has made a great impact on me. In turn, I pass on what I have learned to others to get us where we all want to be. I try to live my life according to the Japanese phrase “kaizen” which can be loosely translated in English to continuous improvement.
Thanks. Keep making a difference.
Have a fantastic 2008!
Dan
It is important to be the change. Sometimes I overreact and then have to remind myself to be calm. I do get better results that way.
Be the change is right. At a local state store buying wine for family dinner, the gentleman in front denounces global warming as a hoax. I did not get a word in edge-wise, but regretted not blurting out my beliefs. When it was my turn, I declined the use of many bags and instead presented my eco-bags bottle bag (6 divided sections – very cool). When the clerk thought it was a great idea, I told her that I agreed and that I cared about the environment. I discussed much of my viewpoints. I am definitely the minority here. I get stares using my many cloth bags for the last 20 years (I am sure I am talked about in the faculty room for my change agent attitude on education). Thank you for your words of wisdom on many fronts. A great year to you.
“Grr” says it all, Will. Selective enforcement of laws is nothing new. Social comment on it is! Be the change — perfect!
Wait a minute!! So, what did Wendy say then?!? Was that it? Have a nice day, happy idling? We were in a local restaurant last week on a cold, rainy night. Out in the parking lot was a big, tricked-out Escalade with the parking lights on and the engine running. The family had left it going while they sat inside and ate so that they didn’t have to come out to a cold car. Turned out that I knew these people and I, too, sheepishly said nothing. I was hoping that Wendy would have had some nice comebacks for that complacent law enforcement (ha!) guy that would give me the chutzpah to speak out next time! Oy.