It is often said that real growth occurs in the quiet times, the down times, the times uncluttered with the busyness of daily life. This means that you need to set aside time for regular meditation or prayer sometime during a hectic day. Some people rise early in the morning when the house is quiet to find time alone. Others find moments of peaceful meditation just before retiring. For you, finding that time may mean spending time in nature, enjoying a walk in the woods in the beauty of each passing season. It may mean losing yourself in the sun and sand on a beach and finding greater purpose in the majesty of the waves. It may mean fishing alone in a mountain stream where you are conscious only of your thoughts and an occasional bite on the hook. Others may find peace quietly listening to Mozart, reading books that encourage introspection, or enjoying an art exhibit, while some people explore who they are through writing in a daily journal. Whatever shape this prayer or meditation takes in your life, it always means spending time alone with yourself, getting to know the real you and thinking about the direction your life is taking. This time allows for soul-searching, deep analysis of questions playing on your mind and heart, or expressions of gratitude for a life going well. What you will learn during these times alone with yourself will help you to know how to navigate the twists and turns along the road that is your life. The critical reflection that can become part of these quiet times will influence the choices you make. The self-knowledge you gain will help you to develop a personal "social philosophy." It will affect how you make decisions and solve problems in your personal and professional life. It will help you choose the "others" you associate with, how you interact with them, and the professional you eventually become.

Traveling with a Trusted Guide

Just as a trek through an unfamiliar backwoods requires a guide who knows the terrain, developing a social philosophy that honors democratic living in and out of the classroom is not an easy road to follow and calls for a trusted companion. Though our country was founded on the principles of democracy, those principles are not commonly practiced in our schools. Resisting the pressures of tight management, bureaucratic controls, and