Ad Meliora

 Principal ponderings...

I don't have any photos on my new fridge, but recently as I was doing dishes, I looked over and saw this one hanging on the side.  My husband had found it while unpacking and placed it there without me knowing.  It's a much younger me in college with my beautiful mom.  

This year has been a tough year for everyone.  In the middle of a pandemic, life keeps happening.  For me, dealing with a diagnosis that is slowly stealing my mom and her amazing brain from me has certainly made this year monumentally more difficult.  But I look at this picture and I smile and some happy tears well up and I think "ad meliora."

My mother was a Latin teacher and spent her life teaching me the root of every word.  She could conjugate verbs like nobody's business and go on for hours about the history of the Greeks and Romans.  I know my mom dealt with eye rolls from her children when she said for the 100th time "do you know where this word comes from?"  And today, I would give anything to hear her break down a word or teach me a new Latin phrase.  But she spent her life sharing her love of language with me so now it's my turn to pick up the torch and carry it.  Today, I am thinking "ad meliora" is the Latin phrase that we all need right now.  It means "better things" or "things continuing to improve."  You may have heard of the English word "ameliorate" which means "make (something bad) better."  Sort of sounds like a spell from Harry Potter.

Today, I want to wave my wand and ameliorate this school year.  I want to ameliorate the pandemic.  I want to ameliorate what is happening to my mom.  Those are all lofty goals.  And believe it or not, I don't actually have a magic wand.  But we are taking a step forward and bringing some of our kids into the building.  It might not feel like this will make things better, but I truly believe it will.  Hopefully soon, educators will be able to get vaccinated and that will make this pandemic better.  And for me and my mom, well I am going to keep remembering all of the words and Latin phrases she taught me over the years because she can't.  And I am going to write down her memories for her and share her memories with others and be grateful that for now she is happy and healthy.  I am choosing to focus on "meliora" or better things.

What will you ameliorate today?

"Always towards better things"

Currently reading:

I have been listening to Obama's new book, A Promised Land.  It's quite long, but whenever I am in the car I try to listen to a little bit at a time.  I feel like I really need to hear his voice right now.  

Events this week:

Monday - MLK Day, No School

Tuesday - Hybrid learning begins, Cohort A in school

Wednesday - Remote day

Thursday - Cohort B in school

Friday - Cohort B in school

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Check it out:

A friend posted this candle she just purchased...I love it!  Everyone, today, let's take a deep breath and inhale the future, then let's exhale the past.