LAGNIAPPE: A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA
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​Lagniappe
a little something extra

​Andrew W. Niblock 

​
Director of Schoolwide Initiatives

The Greenwich Country Day School

I write

4/5/2020

4 Comments

 


A friend ( Jackie) got me thinking. 

I have always spent my days neck deep in relationships. It is my work. It is my calling. I love it. 

Listening, collaborating, cajoling, laughing, crying, counseling, questioning, and learning.

My days are regularly full, and always unpredictable. I have always needed a release. A way to give my soul some predictability, on my terms. 

The Serenity Prayer is a prayer written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971). It is commonly quoted as: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference. 

I find inspiration and challenge in the Serenity Prayer. I try to work toward it, but I am rarely successful.  

I realized long ago that I didn’t stand a chance to find the serenity, the wisdom, and the courage unless I gave myself some time.

For much of my life, daily physical exercise, often running, was my chance to take control for a bit. I can still close my eyes and feel my favorite runs, the ground under my feet, the smell of the trees, my breathing, a sunrise over campus. I miss it. 

My 40s have been influenced by a daily battle with ALS. There have been many adjustments and frustrations, but one of the most difficult is the loss of my ability to lace up my sneakers and go for a run. 

I needed a new release. A new avenue toward serenity, courage, and wisdom. 

I write. 

I love writing. I love words and turns of phrase. I believe what we say, and how we say it, matters. I don’t often really know how I think about something until I write about it. 

I don’t know whether I am more serene, wise, or courageous after I write, but I know I need it like I needed my morning run.  Writing is my daily exercise. It makes me happy, clears the noise, and gives me focus. 

It makes me a better me. 

What makes you a better you? 


4 Comments
Susan Khanna
4/5/2020 04:19:48 pm

Andrew, I love your writing, your wisdom and having you fir a colleague. Keep it coming!

Reply
Doug Lyons
4/5/2020 07:20:26 pm

I never run the beach at Napatree Rhode Island without imagining / remembering you running at my side. But I too have experienced “runners high” after writing a piece that revealed something to me - about myself.
Your writing has its own limbs - lithe and stirring.

Reply
Jim Lindstrom
4/10/2020 09:46:15 am

Andrew, Please keep the thoughts and writings coming! Just like your talks to the kids and parents a few years ago, your written words have incredible meaning and impact. Best, Jim and Lizzie

Reply
John Huron link
4/5/2021 05:52:41 pm

Thaanks for sharing

Reply



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    Lagniappe is New Orleanian for a little something extra. On this blog my goal is to share something that has caught my eye or gotten me thinking. Something extra…I truly enjoy writing it, and I appreciate the time spent to read it.
    ​
    I am an educator by calling. Insatiable curiosity is a job requirement, and learning something new every day is one of the perks.

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