Is it a wild world?

I'm sat in my favourite coffee shop up the road from the school. This is where I often come to do some lesson planning, as we tend to have a couple of hours break during the day, before starting the afternoon classes and after-school curriculum.

They usually have the same playlist on in here, lounge versions of classic pop. Today they're playing more of a Valentine's day mix of love songs such as How Deep is Your Love and Wonderwall. Conversely, is Wonderwall the most bland love song ever written, or a spellbinding work of heart wrenching genius? I suppose the answer depends on your perspective/demographic/intake of lager. I personally find the sight of drunk people singing it as though the lyrics actually mean something, to be a kind of musical interpretation of the theory that one of the greatest problems in life is the fact that stupidity is louder than its opposite. 

I digress. The song Wild World by Cat Stevens just came on (or at least its lounge cafe equivalent), and it got me reflecting on the two weeks I've just done, and on what is to come. Later in his life, Cat Stevens gave himself a new birth as Yusef Islam, having become a devout muslim, and he famously refused to play this song even though it was one of his biggest hits. It represented his old perspective on life and, since he no longer felt that life was something rough and wild, he felt it would be dishonest to play the song.

Going into our third week of the programme, I thought it might be nice to remind myself that I'm striving towards something similar in my own perspective, and in my own experience. It it a wild world? Of course it is sometimes, but does it have to be? I think that depends on how you respond to it, with the language you use to frame it, and with the quality of your demeanour and actions.

I'm feeling a bit calmer today than I have done at times earlier during our stay, and I'm projecting that outwards in my lessons. By no means does that mean there are fewer difficulties and problems, but it does mean that my responses are getting a bit more effective and my demeanour is helping me get my lessons across. I'm looking forward to the rest of our time here!

Nice one,

Toby