“We must recognize the needs to train and discipline our own character"
-Marcus Aurelius
In high school, I had a teacher who was known for certain antics and anecdotes. He took the responsibility to be a part of each of his students’ ability to be a contributing member of society when we grew to be adults. I can only speak for myself, but to this day, his impact is still very much alive. It lives in my presence on this earth… my responses, actions, intentions, and dreams.
He taught anatomy, and he taught it well. I wouldn’t be surprised if the rumors about him being a retired interrogator for the Marines were true, honestly. I took both of his anatomy classes and remember obsessively coloring muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments, taking an outlandish amount of “pop” quizzes and tests, all while listening to classical music and chewing gum.
He embodied focus, attention to detail, intent, and integrity, which set the tone for the rest of my life. I remember he would explain to us that, “there is vacuuming….. (long pause as he glared around at us lol) and then there’s vAc-u-MING”. And by “remember”, I mean that he would habitually yell this at us, sometimes with a magenta face if he was having a really good day. He was passionate and raw and dedicated to every effort to live the most out of every moment in life. He didn't simply vacuum... he gave it his all. He was undeniable.
“Be great in act, as you have been in thought”
-Shakespeare
And the way I see myself through him… makes it obvious to me that the meaning of life is to connect. To ourselves and other "selves".
I don’t know his full story about what made him the way he is, was and will be, but I do know that he will forever be a driving force in my journey of connecting with my story, my truth, and learning to be as integrous and light as he.
He has character, and its Impact is everything.
Our touch on each and every single moment is the future creating itself.
And we are tools of the Universe.
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