Revealing Who We Are

[The Stage is on Fire] is a page-turner in which, much like life, there are no easy answers and yet each step of the journey yields insight and hope. This work of heart must not be missed!

Melanie Faith

Creative Writing Teacher, Essayist & Poet.

Katie Steedly’s first-person piece [The Unspeakable Gift] is a riveting retelling of her participation in a National Institutes of Health study that aided her quest to come to grips with her life of living with a rare genetic disorder. Her writing is superb.

The Society of Professional Journalists

In recognition of receiving the Dateline Award for the Washingtonian Magazine essay, The Unspeakable Gift.

I thank you … It is the authenticity of your “class notes”; and it is the delicacy and skill with which you present the nuances of classroom life and the actuality of your students’ and fellow teachers’ lives.

Maxine Greene

Philosopher and Education Scholar

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No bird can fly without opening its wings, and no one can love without exposing their heart. – Mark Nepo

What makes us scared to fly?

Not being “ready.”

Are we ever really “ready” we start something new? Have we prepared enough? Are we working with the right people? Do we want it enough to keep going, and going, and going? If we never convince ourselves we are “ready,” we never fail. If we never convince ourselves we are “ready,” the ideas we cherish will never be ignored and criticized. If we never convince ourselves we are “ready,” we never know if we are strong enough to succeed. Who we are is reveled when we are “ready.”

Fear of the unknown.

The unknown always exists. It lurks in the corners of our dreams. It suffocates confidence. It bashes hope. Embracing the unknown requires a leap and the net will appear attitude. Quieting the unknown requires the persistence of a dog with a bone. Moving beyond the unknown asks us to do it, whatever it is, anyway. Balancing courage and caution makes the unknown an ally on the journey to know who we are and how to fly.

Voices in our head.

We have symphonies of negativity running through our minds that keep us from knowing ourselves and flying. “I am not smart enough.” “I am not good enough.” “Other people do this much better.” “Nobody cares what I have to say.” “Why don’t I give up?” These toxic thoughts can come from things we hear from others, from what we absorb through the ethers of social media, and personal histories riddled with with negative experiences. Silencing the voices, moving through and between, from stress to stillness, reveals who we are.

Pressure from all sides.

Pressure from all sides can reveal who we are. Moments of stress and pressure require deep strength. How we handled the times that test our metal are a mirror into ourselves. Being able to enjoy good and joyful times, rather than allow those times to be consumed by the pressure of fear, judgement and expectations, is important, too. Pressure from all sides can cloud our vision. Pressure from all sides extinguish our light. Pressure from all sides can turn us inward when we need to reach out and connect with others.

Residue of failure.

Past mistakes and failure leave their mark on our souls. They can make risk more painful. They can stamp out enthusiasm and drive. They can leave the cars of our lives parked in the garage of our lives. -and/or- They can provide fertilizer for our highest selves. They can be a window into the possibility of wisdom. They can be a bridge between our pasts and futures. What we do with mistakes and failures reveals who we are and determines our capacity for flight.