Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Raising the Bar

The bar has been raised,
The ladder climbs high in the sky
Nervously I cling to the next rung,
afraid my hand might slip,
and I might fall short
of the high expectations.

Feeling the rung below with my foot, 
I check to make sure my footing is secure,
I reach up, grasping carefully,
Secure my footing again,
reaching for the next rung,
hoping I can climb the tall ladder,
placed before me.

In the middle of my climb,
I am asked to pull my peers up, too,
nudge them along,
help them climb this sky scraping ladder

Kids are on this ladder, too,
No longer climbing the kid ladder of the jungle gym,
they, too, must climb the grown up sky scraping ladder,
Make the grade,
Pass the tests,
Walk the walk,
Manage themselves,
stay the course,
letting go of child's play.

I have farther to fall,
I have a great distance to climb,
and I must carry others with me.
Please don't let the ladder topple over.



7 comments:

  1. You're not going to fall. You are going to soar!

    Good luck tomorrow (and this year). You're going to be great!

    -Stacey

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  2. You will have a good year, trust yourself. The first (the unknown) is always the toughest. Keep the faith!

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  3. It is 10:35 in Pennsylvania. Are you asleep yet? Plant your ladder on rock, get the proper angle, and have someone on the bottom hold the ladder steady while you climb.
    The images in your poem were so vivid. I was struggling with you to hold on to the rungs of the ladder and carry people with you.
    I will be thinking about you tomorrow, or brave ladder climber.

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  4. OH, brave ladder climber. Oh, now or. oops. I think ladder climbers do well when they can admit they are not perfect, and they sometimes make mistakes.
    I think I would like to join the ladder climbing club, if you want to start one.

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  5. What an amazing community you slicers are! I know not a one of you, but I know you all. Your words touched me and you brought tears to my eyes. I am ready for the ladder. Bring it on. Thanks for the kind words. For now, though, I am going to fold up the ladder because it's late and go to sleep.

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  6. Best wishes tomorrow (maybe now today for you) Maya. I don't think you would have been chosen to be the head if everyone hadn't thought you'd be superb in the job. Thinking of you on the ladder, helping to hold it steady! Thanks for sharing.

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  7. You have now had a few days of school already! I am sure that the ladder has not toppled over yet--and it will not! I have a few more weeks until students come, and like you, I can never sleep the night before. And when I can't sleep, I think about the poem about the footprints! That poem always grounds me; it makes me feel that I am carried (or supported on the ladder) when my faith or skills seem to waiver.
    Be encouraged and know that even when you can't see, someone is there with you! Have a blessed school year!!!!!!!
    P.S. Maybe you will have insights to share with me and other who don't go back until after Labor Day.

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Thanks for reading my writing and sharing your thoughts with me.