Finding my people

August is a month for doing what I call, “Finding my people.” (Note American use of punctuation marks, which I’ve taught too long to change.) I begin this blog sitting on the train platform, waiting for Michael (which means missing my train, I fear—yep, there it goes), after a day of meetings in a quest to find my people. I have had three meetings on this rainy winter’s day, where I’ve met with folks to talk about leadership, about consulting, about educational research. In these meetings, I have to answer the question, “What are you looking for? What do you want?”

Do any of you know the answers to those questions? I’m getting closer, but I’m not there yet. But I suppose the thing to watch out for is that I am getting closer. I can say that I want to do leadership development and that I want to teach people things and I want to help make the world a better place. Any educational research I do I want to do in my home institutions of GMU and NZCER (one of the things I got to watch today was my sense of loyalty). And I want to do those things with people I really like. Mostly what I’m looking for are my people.

Today I felt like that little chick in the “Are you my mother?” book. I wandered from appointment to appointment, wondering whether this person might be the one I’d want to work with, whether this one would want me to do leadership development programs with her, whether the birds would sing and the earth would move (earthquake yesterday, I’m told, but that’s not the same). And it’s a good beginning, really. I met with interesting and smart people, and those folks may put me in touch with other folks. Who will put me in touch with other folks. And some of them must be my people, don’t you think?

Until then, this is a Friday night on Ocean Road. The weather has been magnificent here this week—freezing in the mornings, but indescribably perfect in the afternoons. Michael and I walk on the beach each morning, peering at the new house, marveling at the variations of beauty in a sunrise. Today the weather turned, and I spent the day walking up and down the hill in Wellington, grateful for a city that designs its buildings with such big overhangs to keep me dry. Tonight it’s a drizzly, chilly night. I’m sitting in front of a roaring fire, curly dog at my feet. Naomi and her friend (friend X, for the record) have dressed Aidan up like a little girl and they are all in hysterics about it. I am grateful for laughing children, loving dogs, DVDs, a fantastic boss, a sliver of moon. I’m grateful for Judith and her superb party advice, to Patsy for her friendship and her unending support, to JR and her new life, to all of you who put dots on the blog map and keep me connected. You are my people.

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Pictures today are of Naomi's girl guides party and Aidan's little dress up experience tonight.