| News
& Views
- Apr, 1991 Issue |
Dances With Wolves
Rob Spear (Rocky Mountain Academy)
(208) 267-7522
February 16, 1991 letter
The other night I had the
pleasure of going to see "Dances with Wolves." If you haven't had a
chance to see it I highly recommend it...
..."Dances with Wolves" reminded
me that the true value of a gift is not the gift itself but rather the
experience and job of sharing what one creates. To the children at Rocky
Mountain Academy that, in a big sense, is what Christmas is all about.
Creating and giving that which is special to you.
I've often thought the dilemma
for our teens is that they perceive few ways to make a meaningful contribution.
Think of yourself for a moment...we all have a need to contribute, to
make a difference and have that difference, that contribution be recognized.
If we can't contribute, frustration usually follows. Our students had
many opportunities as young children to develop their mental faculties
and as a result are very creative. Yet their creativity somehow took
a downward turn and their resulting behavior no longer served them nor
their environment. Their perceptions would not let them see ways to
feel of value.
Santa's Workshop serves well
as a vehicle for students to make meaningful contributions. New students
begin with uncertainty and grow confident as they reconnect with their
creativity. They begin to create with a knowledge that their gift will
be accepted...they realize that these are gifts from their heart, their
spirit and they learn to give them freely to the special people in their
lives.
Copyright
© 1991, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced without
prior approval if the copyright notice and proper publication and author
attribution accompanies the copy.) |
