I am in the middle of planning several presentations for the upcoming school year/staff development season! I love doing this. I love getting to share my experiences, ideas and thoughts with educators, students and parents. I pray ALWAYS that someone will take something I say or an activity we do and run with it and do great things. That's how I learned a bunch- from others, plus my own experiences. However, my audiences are not the only ones that learn things. I ALWAYS learn from them!
I love being a “lifelong learner!” Recently, I had a discussion with my friend Mary about geodes. I listened, then researched (https://sciencing.com/geodes-5377367.html) and I learned so much! Now, I have heard the word GEODE before and I was a good science student back in the day (ok, not Chemistry), but I probably had not thought of a geode since 9th grade physical science class when I had to recall it for a test. So, I asked my friend to explain it more.
Mary told me that she was going to use geodes to teach life lessons and use it as a theme this year at her school. As she explained to me a little about it, my brain started spinning! You know I thought this was awesome! Geodes are such a great analogy to people!
The outer side of a geode can be confused with a normal rock. It can be dirty and grungy and not look like much. The living circumstances of a geode have created the hard, ugly outer surface. Someone who is looking to collect rocks may just pass right by it. However, it is what is on the INSIDE of a geode that defines it! When a geode is broken open one will find beautiful crystals! Depending on the heat, the water, the pressure and other outside elements, the insides of geodes are all different and individually beautiful, but it takes someone picking it up and opening it up to realize the beautiful reality.
It’s like people! Unfortunately so many people are looked over and may not be given chances because of their “outer appearances.” They are the rocks that aren’t chosen because they aren’t “perfect or pretty.” We need to change that! We need to figure out how to break open the “geodes” and look for the beauty before we bypass them.
Much like people, geodes are used for many different things: they can be decoration, put in jewelry, they can have practical uses or even metaphysical. (https://sciencing.com/geodes-5377367.html) We need to give people chances to shine and display their own beauty, charm and elegance! It may be in their speech, their writing, their hearts, or so many other wonderful qualities. But, unless we choose to pick them up, break them open carefully and look for it, we will never know.
Let’s start looking for the beauty in each other! Don’t walk by and miss out on the chance of finding a hidden gem! Choose today to search for the wonderful things hidden inside of people. Start asking questions, invite people to do things with you and look for the crystals! They are in everyone - they just need to be found!