PRINCIPAL'S POINT

May 14, 2024

Do you ever notice that after a while certain things you see everyday become things you don’t notice anymore? There is a little glass dish in my bathroom that is one of these items for me. The dish is beautiful when you look closely at it. It is a handblown piece of glass that was carefully designed to be very unique. This morning it caught my eye. As I took time to look at it, I realized, once again, how unique and beautiful it is. I picked it up and studied it closer. Memories came flooding back. We had traveled to Italy to visit our son and his family. While there, we were able to take a couple of days and visit the city of Venice. From Venice, we took a water taxi to the island of Murano. Murano is known for its unique and beautiful glass creations. I found this piece one of the shops. I brought it home hoping it would remind me of the beauty of the island and the wonderful experience I had visiting Italy. 

As I stood in my bathroom with is dish in my hand, I realized it was much more than a beautiful memory. You see, the dish is unique because one side is rough, while the other side is smooth. It has other unique qualities as well. One side is dark, while the other side is clear, allowing the holder to see through it despite the rough bumps. The sides of the dish are hand formed. At first glance they seem uniform, however on closer inspection each side is slightly different from the others. With all the imperfections of this piece some would simply pass it by not seeing the beauty in it. 

This little dish reminded me of myself, and others like me who are rough in spots, slightly different from the rest, parts of myself I allow people to see through and parts that I block out. I often see these same defenses in our students. They are unsure of how much to allow us to see in, especially the older students. They have often had some negative school experiences that cause them to have rough spots. Sometimes they allow us to see in, but often they block out or shut down areas of their lives. When we look at them, we can see that they need to be held, appreciated for who they are, and loved for their uniqueness. These special young people are as fragile and unique as the piece of glass that makes up the dish from Murano. If we are not careful with them, they will chip or break. That is why it is so important for them to have the safe and loving learning environment of WCA. 

Mrs. Kimberly Borgeson, Ed. S.  

WCA Principal