On Being Vulnerable

I am not a native Vermonter - I was born in New York City and grew up just a half hour north of it in Mt. Vernon, NY.  We did not have a lawn.  Well, we had a lawn just not by Vermont standards.

Looking back, it is interesting to reflect on the fact that my siblings and I argued over who was going to mow the front and who was going to mow the back of the postage stamps that were our lawns.  We had a push mower (it was gas powered) and I think it maybe took us a total of a half hour, including using the hand clippers to trip the edges.  You remember these hand clippers:

Then My Wife and I bought our dream house in 2010, and it included a lawn; a real lawn.  Our lot is listed at 0.87 acres, which I know is still small by Vermont standards.  However, we still only had a gas powered push mower and after a couple years, it was clear I needed something bigger (or I was going to be spending a greater part of my weekend mowing our lawn).

So I went in search of a riding lawn mower.  On a visit to Harvest Equipment in Williston, I learned much about being vulnerable.

I literally had no idea what I was doing.  Literally.

When I walked in, I was approached by a gentleman who asked if I needed help.  I told him I did.  Then I took a deep breath, and told him I had no idea what I was doing.  I knew nothing about riding lawn mowers - except that I needed one so that I did not lose precious time with my family.  I explained that and then reminded him that I had no idea what I was doing.  He pushed his hat back on his head and asked me what I did for work.  When I told him I was a Superintendent, he told me that he had no idea how to do that himself.  But since he knew his way around a riding lawnmower, he could share some insight with me.

I was in good hands and we bought our riding mower there, because I chose to be vulnerable.

How many times do we choose to be vulnerable?  If you're like me, not that often and yet those are the opportunities for growth.  Growth comes from the uncomfortable places, from the areas where we feel weird, not confident, potentially alone, and exposed.  Yet if we are to commit to growing, and let's face it as educators that is our work, we need to be vulnerable with each other.  We also need to model this for our students.

If we are not comfortable being uncomfortable, and inviting growth, then how can we expect this of our students?  If we don't find ways to model a growth mindset, then how can we expect this of our students?  Moreover, how can we expect this of each other?

I know this - if I was not vulnerable with the salesman, I would not have ended up with the riding lawnmower that allows me to mow our lawn in about half the time it used to take me when I only used the push mower.

What are the conditions that would make you take the risk of being vulnerable?  How can you create those conditions for your students?  Your colleagues?

Find those uncomfortable places, be vulnerable, and grow!  Who knows, you might even find some extra moments to spend with the people who are dear to you.