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Listen to this
Routine for its own sake (which is what routine easily becomes when it owns us rather than the other way around) is deadly for youth – but also deadly for staff. It seduces us into devoting our lives to its maintenance, and soon enough has us believing that we are succeeding in our lives’ purpose when we serve it utterly.
What books are you reading at the moment? What movie did you see this week? What new idea have you had for your work, your family, your future? What three interests do you pursue? What risk have you taken recently? What new place have you recently discovered? Having trouble answering these questions? Of course, you might not have time for these new things because you are so busy. Serving routine.
Someone said that nobody can lead or guide others beyond the point which one has reached oneself. While we are beavering away at daily timetables and chores, the kids we work with are often streets ahead. Two things can happen. They can tolerate, humour or even pity us as we become people without influence and inspiration in their lives. And we can unconsciously become resentful, even hostile.
In our practice today we realise that we might be stretching the meaning of duty and loyalty, and that our own stimulation and growth is essential for that of our wards and students. God forbid that we should believe we are helping kids when we entrap them in our own puddle of uncourageous inertia because this is comfortable to us.
"I am wondering whether I should explore this or do that." Whether this is our own question or that of one of our kids, the spirited answer would be "Why not? Give it a try. Let’s see what happens ..."
