When Kahlil Gibran speaks about pain, he likens it to medicine and connects healing to understanding. The understanding is of the self and its relation to the larger order of things. When I think of his use of the word shell, two things come to mind: ignorance is bliss and ignorance is limiting. And when that shell cracks, it is both painful (no more bliss) and give rise to the possibility of increased understanding and healing through that openness.
One Response
As a full-time faculty member who spent the first 30 years of my career as a practicing school counselor in higher ed, your article, experiences, and conclusions therein definitely resonated with me. Hope does matter in our classroom. The COVID pandemic only magnified that need. And amid the noise of this season, educators must prepare and step into the breach.
Thank you for this heartfelt reflection. It, and you, are much needed.