AISAP52

The calendar reads September, and social media is constantly reminding me that we are “back-to-school.” But, it certainly does not feel like that in the way we all remember.

This new feeling reflects uncertainty at a time when I always felt renewal. Nothing feels familiar or cyclical. When I look at my calendar, it makes me realize we can’t approach this year’s process with the same methods or metrics we used in the past. If you’re simply recycling what you’ve done in the past, my advice is to simply stop – because nothing is business as usual. While there may be some common threads or transferrable practices, we cannot be confident what worked before will work in this new era.

Perhaps what we need at this time of stress, pressure, and uncertainty is a little grace.  What do I mean by grace in the context of our work? If we look at grace’s definition in the online Oxford English Dictionary, it can be summarized as:

1 – Smoothness and elegance of movement.
2 – Courteous, goodwill. An attractively polite manner of behaving.
3 – (in Christian belief) A divinely given talent or gift. The condition or fact of being favored by someone.
4 – A period of time allowed for payment of a sum owed or due or to abide by compliance with a law or condition.
5 – A short prayer said before a meal.

But I feel the definition of grace that is most applicable in this context is a spiritual gift that involves love and mercy given to others even when we feel they don’t deserve it. It is that explanation that resonates the most with me and one I would encourage you to process and ponder for our profession.  Whomever you encounter in your work, remember that a little grace can go a long way. We truly are connected and in need of working together while we are apart.

So, in the spirit of grace, let’s acknowledge that no one school or professional is the same. Somedays, you will come to your workplace healthy and strong, while other days you may need to be the recipient of strength. Along similar lines, AISAP is here to acknowledge your short term successes even while we ponder the long road ahead. We are graced by your support, professionalism, and collegiality.