Live Your Own Life

Steve Jobs’ death saddens me as I know it does many, many people. He died of the same type of cancer my dad fought for 18 months, before he left us 20 years ago—very few people get 6 years, as Mr. Jobs did.

We are hearing a lot about his life in the media this week.  I enjoyed hearing part of his commencement address to Stanford University from 2005.  He had successfully completed treatment for the cancer and had some very inspirational thoughts to share to the young, eager audience (and all of us, as it turns out).

The best quote for me was when he said this: ….stop wasting time living someone else’s life.  Find something you are passionate about and do it.

I am paraphrasing—but I think I caught the meaning, if not the exact words.  This is such good advice for young and old alike.  We are daughters, sisters, wives, mothers; or sons, brothers, etc.  It is so easy to loose sight of what makes us want to “change the world”, or at least make a small impact on our world.

Life tends to get very busy and we get caught up in living up to the expectations of daily life and forget the BIG picture. I enjoyed taking time this week to think about the BIG picture.  Thank you Steve Jobs, for reminding me that we each have a life to live that is unique and worthwhile.  Whether one is building a multi-billion dollar company that impacts the lives of people all over the world or making a few preschool children learn to love music a little more, we all have a life to live and I am happy with the SMALL (but important) life I have.

MONTESSORI

Anyone that works with children is privileged and also responsible to live up to the task.  What we do may seem SMALL and unimportant to the world (and ourself at times). It is neither. It is BIG and important to each and every child in our care.


I think Steve Jobs' advice is very appropriate for Montessorians. We build an environment and step out of the way so that children can learn and grow.  It is a wonderful preparation for the so-called, ‘real world’. In fact, it is the real world, or at least it is supposed to be as close to that real world as possible in a school setting.

The Montessori philosophy tells us to help each child develop into the person they are meant to be.  Like Mr. Jobs was saying, to ‘live their own life’ and rise to the highest form of themself.

 When you prepare a safe learning environment full of color, and sound Montessori philosophy and materials, it is a beautiful sight to behold.  Preschool children want to live their own life. They have not been here long enough to know anything else.

I am privileged to be living my dream.  I get to play games and sing my own songs for a living!