The School and the Sky

+ A Book Signing Tomorrow

It’s tomorrow!

(The book signing and storytelling discussion at Given’s Books in Lynchburg. Come on by ‘round 1 pm to chat! While the reason is Cities on a Hill, we’ll also be discussing the craft of storytelling. It’s aimed to be fun and educational–for everyone. Come share your insight.)

And now, back to our scheduled programming…

Back to School

“You’re gonna be in the blog. Gotta watch out for writers” I laughed. “But it’ll be good.”

How could it not be, man.

The Charlottesville High School students are gracious, bright, and curious about space, so they made their own astronomy club. I got to stop by their meeting, held in the physics classroom, and talk about skywatching. What a blast.

Most of the discussion centered around the practical, but, I can’t help myself. Philosophy creeps in everywhere. And they were so much fun to talk with.

So, the practical astronomy – “what’s in the sky tonight that you can personally see” – seems an important thing to keep in mind. I opened with the first point.

Idea 1: The “eternal student” mindset is excellent. But is there a shadow?

The danger of always learning and never applying? Of course, true learning involves testing ideas in the “real world” (what a complicated phrase), but it’s too easy to leave things outside the classroom, for a day in the future.

Folks, you’re still in high school, and have plenty of time to figure this out. Gracious. Everyone says I need to chill out. Maybe they’re right. But, it interested me because, well, I’m like that.

I watched the World exist inside the halls of the school while I walked to the meeting, but didn’t see the school anywhere in the World after I left. This is fascinating, because it means the solution is always in the present. Better being isn’t location specific.

What can we do right now while remaining in the mindset of someone who’s always learning?

Idea 2: What do my younger colleagues need, and what can I give them?

At the end, they gathered around, and I asked them this, explaining how Cities was written as a service to my elderly friends. “I’d like to do something for my younger colleagues, but am still trying to figure it out the exact challenges. What’s hard about being young today?”

The ideas poured out. “Parents expectations!” “School!” “Stress!” “I played hockey with the rolls at lunch!”

I hear you. I’m thinking. I talked to some friends yesterday on the front porch of a retirement home, and told them about you. They retired from years of teaching. The wheels are turning. Things are sorting.

I can’t wait to discuss more. There’s so much good work to be done, and we’re the people to do it. Now that’s exciting.

Plus, we’ve got to observe Saturn through a telescope!

Keep thinking, keep learning, and keep looking up.

Clear skies,

Josh

PS. Here’s a little gem of music for you today: