Saturday, March 26, 2011

TA's Weekly Update March 26, 2011

Hello All,

Here's to another big week...hope you all are well.

TA

A Season for Both Peaks and Valleys

For everything there is a season,

a time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3, 1-8

This was the first reading at Jeff's funeral mass this week. I'd chosen the same verses for my dad's funeral as well. As do many others, because I think, it reminds us that both peaks and valleys are necessarily a part of our lives. We have joy and we have grief. Times of quiet and times of great noise. Times to hold close and times to let go. A comforting reminder that in the hardest times, things will change–that everything, including this hard moment is impermanent. The verses also send a warning that we can't stay on the summit forever, that we will must come down to the valley again. And again.

I taught Jeff Galant in my winter outdoor activities class during the winter of 2009. He was about to graduate with his BPE and head off to the University of New Brunswick to pursue his education degree and play varsity volleyball. I enjoyed his great enthusiasm in my class–he was always the first to pick up a shovel and mound up the snow. Shortly after the course, I received an email from him, asking where he might pick up a copy of my book. I wrote back and learned he was in the hospital. I offered to deliver a copy to him. He had just been diagnosed with cancer and was looking for inspiration for the journey ahead.

I met his mom the day I visited and we all talked of climbing mountains, pushing hard for the summit, the power of competition and how much sports meant to Jeff. Over the past two years we kept in touch, Jeff fought hard–winning many games against the cancer but in the end, the disease took the series and Jeff died a few weeks past his 24th birthday. A gentle, athletic soul struck down well before his could give the world all of his talents and gifts–he would have been an excellent teacher.

After Jeff's funeral, I had an hour or so before I had to head off to the airport to fly back to St. John's. I wondered how best to honour Jeff's spirit with that time and realized that C.C. Loughlin School was just down from the cathedral. I decided to stop in and see if I could spend some time with some of the children I'd met the year before. I was nervous just showing up because such visits are usually organized well in advance but I took a deep breath and presented myself to the office. They welcomed me and took me to Patricia's classroom. She and her class were unavailable so I asked for the Grade Fours. I walked into a chorus of "TA!" and was instantly surrounded by the group. They were thrilled to see me and I took solace from my grief in their precious energy. We sat in a small circle and talked of explorers and exploring and what they were learning in social studies. When it was time to head to the other Grade Four class, the first group didn't want to let go so they came along to the next room to keep asking questions.

I had wondered if it were "appropriate" to go visit a school right after the funeral but I knew instantly as soon as I arrived in that first class, that it was. It was a time to laugh and a time to build up, a time to mend and a time to speak. Jeff would have loved the look on one Grade Three's face when she exclaimed, "I've never stood so close to a mountain climber before." I was teaching in that moment with Jeff firmly planted in my heart. Rest in peace Jeff.

Visual Soliloquy #151 Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome…

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. – Samuel Johnson

Snow Day: Skiing Downtown St. John's

My latest helmet cam adventure…Skiing Downtown St. John's on a snow day! The conditions were quite good except for where the snow plows had been!

Visual Soliloquy #150 There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day…

"There is no such thing in anyone's life as an unimportant day." – Alexander Woollcott

Visual Soliloquy #149 There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it…

"There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it." – Edith Wharton

Visual Soliloquy #148 If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it…

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work. –Nhat Hanh

Visual Soliloquy # 147 Every choice you make has an end result…

Every choice you make has an end result. – Zig Ziglar

Visual Soliloquy #146 Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go…

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. – T. S. Elliot

You can view the full blog entries at
http://taloeffler.com/tas-blog/

You are receiving this email per your subscription. You can unsubscribe at
any time by clicking here and sending a message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Thanks for following my adventures and remember that comments are always welcome.
******************************************************************************
TA Loeffler Ph.D.,  Professor
3M National Teaching Fellow
School of Human Kinetics and Recreation
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NL A1C 5S7

TA's Website:  www.taloeffler.com
Phone: 709-864-8670
Fax: 709-864-3979
Office:  PE 2011A
Email Office:  taloeffler@mun.ca
Email Home:  taloeffler@gmail.com

Those who lose dreaming are lost.
Australian Aboriginal Proverb

Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.  The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things; Knows not the livid loneliness of fear, nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear the sound of wings.
Amelia Earhart




Monday, March 14, 2011

TA's Weekly Update March 14, 2011

Hi All,

Here is a partial view on this week's posting...as I was hosting a "What's TA climbing Next?" Contest, I was worried if I sent them all out, the email would be too big...so if you want to see all the clues, please visit my website at www.taloeffler.com

Take good care,
TA

Visual Soliloquy #139 Courage is knowing what not to fear…

Courage is knowing what not to fear.
–Plato

Visual Soliloqut #138 Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony…

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. – Mahatma Gandhi

What's TA Climbing Next? Hvannadalshnúkur, Yding-skovhoj, and Mont Blanc

TA on the summit of Mount Elbrus

TA on the summit of Mount Elbrus in July 2009 (the last time I climbed in Europe)

Congrats to Trien…She's taken my set of wild clues and solved the puzzle. I'm climbing to three (no, actually four) country high points in the next few months. In April, Marian and I will be climbing Hvannadalshnúkur (the highest peak in Iceland). In July as part of an International Outdoor Education conference, I will venture to Yding-skovhoj (the highest point in Denmark.) After the conference, I'll head over to Chamonix to climb Mont Blanc (the highest peak in France and Italy). Mont Blanc has been on my list for many years and I'm using the proximity of the conference to make it happen. Both Mont Blanc and Hvannadalshnúkur have long summit days so I'll be stepping up the training over the next while. Trien wins a signed summit photo (from the most photogenic summit) for her efforts.

Visual Soliloquy #137 As we develop more love for others, we'll have more confidence in ourselves…

As we develop more love for others, we'll have more confidence in ourselves; the more courage we have, the more relaxed and serene we'll be.
–Dalai Lama

What's TA Climbing Next II? Clue 9

So put what's going on in this picture together with yesterday's clue and I'm hoping it will lead you to the first high point…what's on the go in this pic? Put on those thinking caps, put google to the test…bing until you bonk…what's the first high point I'm trying to reach next?

Visual Soliloquy #136 Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance…

Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance. – Samuel Johnson

What's TA Climbing Next II? Clue 8

Another clue for the first climb…glad folks have started to work together because this is being harder to crack than I imagined it would be…on the plus side, we're breaking records for site visitations left, right, and centre. I had a great time speaking at Roncalli Central High School today and training is going well. Was back on Signal Hill beginning the first of many ascents of the next six weeks…until climb number one, two, and three…keep guessing!

Visual Soliloquy #135 The most common way people give up their power…

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.
- Alice Walker

What's TA Climbing Next II? Clue 7

OK…thinking that I need to get a bit more concrete with the clues…here's a chance to put two and two together to come up with peak number two…or at least a significant clue towards peak/high point number two…guess away!

Visual Soliloquy #134 It is hard to fail, but it is worse never have tried to succeed…

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never have tried to succeed. – Theodore Roosevelt


You can view the full blog entries at
http://taloeffler.com/tas-blog/

You are receiving this email per your subscription. You can unsubscribe at
any time by clicking here and sending a message with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Thanks for following my adventures and remember that comments are always welcome.
******************************************************************************
TA Loeffler Ph.D.,  Professor
3M National Teaching Fellow
School of Human Kinetics and Recreation
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. John's, NL A1C 5S7

TA's Website:  www.taloeffler.com
Phone: 709-864-8670
Fax: 709-864-3979
Office:  PE 2011A
Email Office:  taloeffler@mun.ca
Email Home:  taloeffler@gmail.com

Those who lose dreaming are lost.
Australian Aboriginal Proverb

Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.  The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things; Knows not the livid loneliness of fear, nor mountain heights where bitter joy can hear the sound of wings.
Amelia Earhart