Why I chose Lifetime

In which I tell the story of my podcast's intro and outro music

I am surrounded by musicians. My husband is a musician. My father was a musician. My two brothers are musicians. Two of my nephews are musicians.

So, yeah, I was psyched to choose one of my brother’s songs to usher my listeners into and out of my podcast.

But the song, Lifetime, happens to also be one of my favorites. Objectively speaking. And, as this video attests, it has been a favorite of my family’s for at least two decades. (That’s my daughter lip synching from the slide and my son turning over for the first time. My brother Tom makes a few appearances, too!)

It’s a favorite because of the lyrics and the honesty my brother Tom brings to it:

When this started

I confess I

did not understand.

I guess.

Maybe that’s how

it all turned out

to be

such a mess.

So many teachers, I suspect, enter the profession in this very condition. Who knew classrooms and schools could so easily become “such a mess”? Despite every teacher’s herculean effort to do their best by their students, to keep things under control, to teach content they love, groups of human beings can all too quickly devolve into chaos.

My brother’s song admits to unbecoming reality. Which is honest. And vulnerable. And which is exactly what my work does, too. OK, so you’re a mess! Or your classroom or students are a mess! Let’s embrace it! And use the unbecoming reality to align relationships, strengthen people who might be wilting, even bring unexpected joy to situations that seem hopeless.

It’s all true.

It’s all verified.

It’s amazing.

We’re alive.

Sensations:

They would never lie.

It’s AMAZING!

I AM AMAZED!!

OMG. This is EXACTLY how I feel about teachers who turn messes into productive learning and relieving, caring relationships. In the work I do with teachers, we pay close attention to sensations, to our bodies, because yes: They would never lie. (Whereas our minds do all the time.) And yes: The transformations this work generates in the teachers and in their students (or colleagues or whomever) is amazing. I am constantly amazed!

And isn’t it amazing that we’re alive. Together. In this room, in this school, under these circumstances, equipped with intelligent minds and loving, caring and sometimes angry and hurting hearts. Lifetime asks us to relish this state of affairs. My work asks teachers (and parents and anyone else who listens) to relish it also.

Because it’s what we’ve got! And it’s fuckin’ amazing.

Thanks, Thomes, for permitting me to use your wonderful song. Anybody who wants to listen to more of my brother’s really smart, catchy, fun music, go here and here. And, of course, here.

Credits

Video: Brad Wells

Music: Tom Burris/Jabbering Trout

Idea for this post: Andreea Coscai