letters to my class

Dear Humans,

Yesterday on my way to work, one of my tires was low on air. So I had to turn around, drive back home, haul my tire pump out to my car, and pray the tire held air. It did, but I was pretty grumpy about the whole ordeal. I thought the universe was picking on me.

Then, later on my drive I saw a tow truck hauling two cars out of a ditch as a result of a wreck. Suddenly, my low tire didn’t seem like such a big deal.

Everyone is going through something. And their problems might just be worse than our own. So treat each other with patience, grace, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

People are going to annoy you. It will happen in school, it will happen at the park, it will happen in traffic when you’re old enough to drive. You’ll be annoyed by classmates, strangers, friends, and family. You’ll be annoyed in the morning, in the evening, on weekdays and on weekends.

And you’ll annoy people yourself. Even when you don’t intend to. That’s just a natural result of living in a free society. You’ll disagree with what others do and say and believe.

And you’ll have to figure out a way to live with it. You’ll have to figure out a way to live the life you want no matter what the people around you are doing.

Good luck,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Problem Solvers,

If someone’s a danger to themselves or to others, please let an adult know. But if someone is just acting like a knucklehead, tell them to stop acting like a knucklehead. You have the power.

Adults have created, or made worse, most of the problems that you’ll face. Do you really expect us to know how to fix them? No, you’re going to have to find your own ways. And the school playground is a great place to practice. Imagine a better world–or playground–where all people are valued and treated well, and work each day to make it a reality. One day at a time. You have the power.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Students,

Last night, Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story hit three home runs. One of them was the longest home run ever hit at Coors Field. But my favorite at bat was his last one, the bottom of the eighth, when he had a chance to hit his fourth home run. He struck out, but he swung hard.

Trevor Story will play thousands of baseball games in his life. He’ll probably forget most of them. But last night, he made the most of the moment.

That’s how it is in life. It’s just a string of days, but every once in a while we have a chance to step up to the moment. Make sure you swing hard when that moment comes.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

It’s so easy to let our attention wander. Our brains love new things like five year olds love candy. And letting our brains go undisciplined in a world of constant distraction is just like leaving a five year old unsupervised in a candy store.

So we must fill our minds up with the task (or person) that is right in front of us. We must block out the distractions that are always buzzing in our pockets or popping up on our screens and focus on doing one thing at a time. And doing it the best we can.

If we do that, we’ll feel like we’re leading a life rather than just being led around through it.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

Yesterday as I walked through the automatic sliding doors of my nearest retail mecca, I held a hope in my heart that I would find the thing that would fulfill me: the perfect acrylic organizer that would order my life or the pair of shoes that would really show the person I am.

Of course, I didn’t. It’s nice to be able to buy the things we want, but the things we need are not for sale. They’re inside one another.

I returned home to make gooey grilled cheese sandwiches and watch Harry Potter with my family. And although I probably didn’t notice it at the time, that was exactly what I was looking for.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Students,

Some days it seems like all of our shots are going in. Other days it seems like they’re just barely rimming out. But we keep shooting. Because we’re in this for the long haul. No one shot, no one game, is the end all be all. We keep getting better and sometimes our shots go in and sometimes they don’t.

And the best shooters don’t spend much time thinking about those past shots except for how they will show up in the next shot they’re going to take. Because the next shot is the one that matters. The next shot is always the most important we’ve ever taken.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Learners,

When I was in seventh grade, I had to memorize and recite a super-long poem. I worked hard at it and delivered it perfectly. And today, I can’t remember even the title of that poem.

Also in seventh grade, I listened to a whole lot of Pearl Jam. And today, if you played any of their first three albums, I could probably sing along word for word.

The poem was in my brain, but it wasn’t in my heart. The songs, however, fit precisely into the puzzle of who I thought I wanted to be. That’s how real learning happens.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

The other day in the car I asked Gracie why it’s important to “be good” in school.

“To get DREAM tickets,” she said.

“But what do you really get out of doing well in school?” I replied.

“You get to learn!” she said excitedly.

Look for the things that last. Money, prizes, possessions, and praise will be squandered, lost or forgotten. But the knowledge and understanding you put in your head and your heart will last forever.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Humans,

You’re not the shoes on your feet or the haircut on your head. You’re not the house you live in or the car you drive. You’re not the jobs you’ll have, the money you’ll earn, or the stuff you’ll buy.

We’re each of us only the thoughts in our minds and the beliefs in our hearts. And the only way the outside world can peek in and see that true us is in how we treat other people.

Be kind,

Mr. Heimbuck