When Hurricane Harvey swept Houston’s Bay Area, I didn’t lose everything, but the storm unsettled me. Returning to class two weeks later, I faced students carrying grief far heavier than mine. Had I suffered a major loss like so many others, maybe the words would come easier. Monday couldn’t just be about economics—it had to be about steady ground and hope.
I started as a rookie teacher floating between classrooms—nine, ten, maybe more rooms in twelve years. Each room had its quirks—ancient boards, blinds from the Eisenhower era, and air conditioners that rattled like they were auditioning for a haunted house. Those rocky foundations taught me something: teaching isn’t about where you are. It’s about bringing yourself, wherever the walls land. Despite starting in my in mid-30s, I began my teaching career as every educator does, as a very green newbie. Over the 12 years I spent at my first school, I rose from being a novice, teaching geography to bored … Read more
Living along the Texas coast, in a place named for its mighty trees, I’ve often marveled at how they’ve weathered fierce tropical storms and destructive hurricane winds. If you look closely, every mature tree bears scars—marks left by relentless storms, brutal summers, and the pests they’ve survived. But these scars aren’t just blemishes. They’re marks of toughness, a testament to the tree’s perseverance. And it struck me—how much this mirrors the journey of longtime believers. Their scars, from hardships, doubts, and struggles, aren’t signs of weakness but of resilience built through the storms of life. David understood this connection long … Read more