PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Paula's favorite book / story of all time is Pride and Prejudice.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with the book, it was written in 1813.  We watched the movie again (for like 1,000 times) this morning.  An older edition of the book sits on our shelf as a present from me to Paula a year ago.  It has meaning.

I am working today on challenges I see heading our direction.  They are on the horizon, yet not difficult for me to see and they are completely predictable.  I was going to write to each of you today outlining these issues in detail.  I have reconsidered and believe lessons from a book written 208 years ago would suffice.

Paula believes that Pride and Prejudice has elements from our lives.  I, of course, am reflected in the character of Mr. Darcy.  She is reflected in the character of Elizabeth (Lizzy).  I will forgo the plot analysis and go to the heart of why Paula loves this book.  It is the story of how people interpret, misinterpret, and project their own bias on others.  Both characters are very sure that they have a full and perfect understanding of the other, just to learn they are both incorrect in the areas that matter the most.  

As a former English teacher, I struggled to determine which character represented Pride and which was meant to illustrate Prejudice.  The answer is simple.  Both...and both.  We all carry some degree of pride.  We also all hold some prejudice.  Both keep us from listening and being open to the best parts of others.

We have some "projecting" coming our direction.  We have talked about having the wind at our backs and operating with few distractions.  That time is over.  There is nothing for this group to fear.  It's more about stuff that creeps into our business and will have very little to do with teaching and learning.  I'll handle the parts I can handle and will ask for your help in others.  

Back to the book... Paula makes fun of me for being the guy who stood with my buddies during college parties in the basements of Kansas.  She mistook that as prejudice and arrogance.  I was actually just shy and uncomfortable with people I didn't know.  I saw her animated and running with crowds.  I thought she was prideful and a bit intimidating.  For some reason, we were both interested, but acted a little bit like two magnets pushing each other apart.  It took one of us (I'll take the credit on this one) to put it aside and approach at a party.  The next day was our first date.  We went to the movies and saw A League of Their Own.  It was our last first dates.