Dear Humans,

Before Thanksgiving break we had a special assembly to honor Veterans Day. And we even had the Honor Guard from the local American Legion come and present the colors. And when they did, you all said the Pledge of Allegiance with gusto.

But you didn’t stop there. Because we say the Pledge of Allegiance every day in English and in Spanish, as soon as we said the words “justice for all” you went right into the pledge in Spanish. And the honor guard looked a little bit confused, but they went with it. 

Because I think they know that the Pledge of Allegiance is for everybody who calls this country home, no matter if we call it the United States or los Estados Unidos.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

We’re learning about the Age of Exploration. That time in history when Europeans looked out across the oceans and “discovered” the New World. And I don’t think we can really understand how much this time period changed the world.

Because that’s what always drives our human story–going to new places, seeing new things, meeting new people, trading stuff and ideas. And it’s those interactions that created (and continues to create) our New World.

And of course our impulse to explore gets mixed up with those other ugly human impulses of greed and pride and can lead to bad outcomes. And yet the story will continue into the future as we continue to explore this world and others.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Not everybody can be the chef. There’s not enough room in the kitchen. Plus, being the chef takes literally days of planning and strategy–thawing and brining the turkey, baking the pies, prepping the vegetables and sides. It’s a full time job (with overtime) over the holidays. Who wants that?

Plus, somebody has to wash the dishes. And washing the dishes is the best job. It takes about half an hour and requires almost no planning. You just put your head down and turn the music up. 

But whether you’re the chef or the dishwasher, the key thing is that you contribute. Something.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

I think it’s pretty natural for humans to think of ourselves first. To worry about our own needs (or even wants) before the needs of others and to take for granted the things that we have. But just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s right. Humans can be capable of great kindness and thoughtfulness. But it takes practice. 

So it’s nice to have a day where we all get to sit around a big turkey and say what we’re thankful for. But, like everything in life, we only get good at gratitude if we practice gratitude all the time. 

So show gratitude and thanksgiving for all that you have (and usually take for granted) next Thursday, but do it on the days you don’t eat turkey as well.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Sometimes people complain that schools don’t teach students enough useful stuff, like how to do your taxes, change a tire, and tuck in your shirt. 

And it must be true because we’re learning about moon phases. Which is about the most useless thing in the solar system. No one in a job interview will ever ask you about moon phases. And if people find out that you know the current moon phase, they might think you’re a lunatic.

But knowing how things work and recognizing patterns is an infinitely transferable skill. So if you can figure out what causes the moon phases and explain it to others, I think you’ll probably be able to figure out what to do with your W-2.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Because the Moon has no wind or liquid water, Buzz Aldrin’s bootprint will probably be there for a long, long time. (Though a meteorite could smudge it.) Here on Earth, our footprints are often gone almost as soon as we make them. 

But imagine if they weren’t. Only 12 people have stepped foot on the Moon. Here on Earth, we’ve had somewhere around 100 billion people walking around on two feet. That’s a lot of footprints! Picture the mess we’d have if they hung around forever.

But do not fret. There are other ways to leave your mark here on Earth, long after all of your footprints have been erased.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Last week we read about child labor in the United States. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing and factories and mines needed little hands to run them. Because kids were cheaper and less likely to complain (or organize) they were pushed into dirty, loud, and dangerous workplaces. 

It took reformers’ concerted efforts to convince the American people that this was wrong and the law should be changed. As we learned, changing laws is difficult and time-consuming. And making sure those laws remain in place can sometimes be just as hard.

Because a child’s “job” is to be a child–to learn and to play. And those things happen in the home, in schools, and in parks–not the workplace.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Sometimes the worksheet just doesn’t have enough room on the answer line. So you have to go beyond it. You squeeze the rest of your sentence into the margin or cram it in between the line spacing below in a tiny script.

Perhaps we should be more succinct. Perhaps I shouldn’t give you worksheets in the first place. But I think this is a problem we’ll always face–not enough space for what we have to say.

Because one of our callings is to go beyond the template. To say more than is expected of us and say it in a different way. And the only way we can do that is to go beyond the lines that are drawn for us.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

I was driving to church the other day and there was a bit of traffic. And I had to remind myself that I was part of the traffic problem too. All these people were just doing the same thing I was–trying to get somewhere. And together we were part of the bigger problem.

But then in church we were singing a song together and I was also part of something bigger. And I sounded a whole lot better than I would’ve singing by myself. Perhaps it was just that I couldn’t hear myself quite as well. But I think it was more than that too.

We’re always part of something bigger than ourselves–for better and for worse.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt

Dear Humans,

Tonight is a full moon. But not just a full moon, a supermoon. And a super harvest moon. And a super harvest moon in a partial lunar eclipse. So look up from your screen around 8:40. You’ll see something that you won’t see again for a while.

Which is the great thing about astronomical events–they show us something rare. And yet, a new, rare astronomical event seems to happen all the time. The next two full moons are also supermoons. And a full lunar eclipse will come in March.

That’s because we live in a complex solar system with different sized bodies dancing with one another at different speeds and distances. And it’s our sacred duty to look up.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt