experiences of the heart

So, I have started student teaching in a music classroom. The rigors of a music teacher are demanding. Changing mind-sets every forty minutes is necessary...One does not want to make a fool of themselves or belittle the high and mighty fifth and sixth graders (who rule the school) by talking to these rulers as one would talk to say, a third or second grader...and one has to be especially careful not to offend by singing 'baby' songs or 'boring' songs by old dead guys with the little kings and queens of the elementary domain. But even though they need to have the 'tough' facade, I can see right through them. Fifth and sixth graders are still third-graders at heart, just in bigger bodies. It will be a fun challenge to try to connect with their 'inner-child' and help them experience music so that they will learn to love beautiful things in the world.

Sometimes people's attitudes can get in the way of deep experiences and deep learning. I have found this to be true as I teach little ones, and if little ones in this generation have begun to develop attitudes that do not allow for personal growth and learning, then I am almost positive that we as adults do the exact same thing (who do you think they learn it from?)! Of course we sometimes unknowingly feed this behavior, but I'm wondering if we could overcome this blockage of growth.

I've been thinking lately. (I know...its amazing!). I've been thinking about the condition of the heart. Our stake theme is "Charity" and all of the ins-and-outs encompassed in charity. With this complex, yet simple principle in mind, I have been looking at the condition of my own heart. sometimes I equalize charity to 'good deeds' or acts of service to others. These are all fine and dandy and probably lead to a more charitable heart, but I'm realizing charity is a process of becoming charity...becoming more like our Savior...having our hearts become a heart like His. At the recommendation of our amazing bishop, Ben and I have been reading "A Heart Like His" by Virginia Pearce. This book presents an interesting experiment we've been trying out lately. It requires no extra 'deeds' or 'acts', but should take place naturally in everyday living. The experiment goes like this:

In every day experiences, be more aware of the condition of your heart. By so doing, maybe we can crack open our hardened hearts a little and let a little softness in. For example...in every interaction with a person, think to yourself "How can I open my heart up to this person a little more?" some examples from the book include people letting a friendly neighbor or visiting teacher in the door after having a delicious treat delivered. Instead of merely exchanging greetings and thank-you's and dismissing each other on to each others oh so busy lives...why not open your heart a little and invite this friend into your home and into your life? Ben and I have also been discussing the principle of seeking to understand before seeking to be understood. Having a mind-set to understand others certainly would help us become more aware of the condition of our hearts.

As I've experimented only a few days, magic is stirring in my heart! I'm not reading my scriptures more than usual, praying more than usual, baking cookies for all of my neighbors and all of my acquaintances- the only "extra" thing that Ben and I are 'doing' is thinking about our hearts...becoming more conscious, more aware of how our hearts are interacting with others and with God. I can already tell that this simple experiment is helping me change into what I need and want to become. I feel closer to my Savior and as a result feel closer to everyone I interact with on a daily basis. I'm sure I will have more specifics to tell as this experiment continues and I'm looking forward to experimenting and nurturing this 'seed' more (see Alma 32).

I think this may be a first step to our "attitude" problem that gets in the way of our personal learning and growth. Just being aware can help us recognize areas in which our hearts are cold and shriveled and blocking our opportunities for real experiences.

More experiences to come...feel free to share yours with us!