Giving Thanks

Tomorrow's Thanksgiving!

And we have a lot to be thankful for.

Hit the "read more" link to read about it.

More people - community members, business people, legislators - understand the value of Adult Education. 

Folks decided to mobilize, learned how to mobilize, and did mobilize.

If they hadn't, Prop 30 wouldn't have passed.

Prop 30 passed!

It's time to gather round the table with friends and family and enjoy some good food.

Then afterwards, sit in front of the fire or the modern day equivalent (the tube?!) and reflect on the bounty of all we have, we know, and we've done, including:

1.  The great work that's done at Adult Schools across this state every day.  The GEDs and the high school diplomas.  The health maintained and regained in classes for seniors.  The jobs and job skills bringing money and meaning where it's most needed.  The power of English to remove limits and create opportunities.  Citizenship giving voice to the voiceless. 

2.  The decision - in millions of hearts and minds - to act on what we know is true.  This is never a decision to take for granted.  As the old saying goes, "All it takes for bad things to happen is for good people to do nothing."  When people take the time needed to consider what really matters to them and then act to save, maintain, rebuild, or improve it, deep power is unleashed.  It's the power we're all craving when we reach for an energy drink or a sugary snack, but this kind of power is far bigger and comes from far deeper place - and does far more than just fuel us for a day.

3.  The phenomenal way people mobilized to stand for Adult Education and all education.  The marches in Sacramento.  The letters written and mailed.  The petitions signed and delivered.  The signs held at intersections.  The press conferences.  The phone banks.  The brainstorming, the plans, the doings.  The cooperation it took to work together for the good of the group.  The articles researched and written and published.  The photos taken and shared.   The many actions, big and small, that pushed our culture out of an ennui about the decline of education and into an determination to save, maintain and rebuild it. 

We have a lot to be thankful for, indeed.

And yes, there is more work to do.  More mountains to climb.  More deserts to cross.

But for just this moment, let's enjoy what we have and we've done... with a nice dessert.

Happy Thanksgiving!