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Life Lessons
Many years ago, when I was teaching music in elementary schools, I remember beginning each school year talking about rights and responsibilities with each class from kindergarten to grade six. It was an attempt to set the ground rules about how we were going be with one another in the music room. I guess I was also hoping that the whole idea of rights and responsibilities might become one of those life lessons my students would remember and take with them as they grew up.

In music class we all had the right to sing, dance, play instruments, express ourselves, and to ask questions and be curious. We also had the responsibility to care for each other, to respect each other, and to keep everyone safe. Somewhere between our rights and responsibilities, we found that sweet spot where everyone was respected, where we had fun together, and where we were able to learn something new. When things went sideways, as happens even with our best intentions, we would just take a minute to review our rights and responsibilities, which were usually posted up on a wall, and to figure out what went wrong and what we needed to do to get back on track.


I’m not sure how or why we, as adults, make rights and responsibilities so complicated, but we seem to do a pretty good job of that. Just consider what we continue to learn about right relations with Indigenous communities. Consider what we learn through Black History Month. Consider what we have learned over time through pandemics. It all boils down to rights and responsibilities. May we not forget our childhood lessons about setting ground rules so that we might respect and care for each other. With our rights, come our responsibilities toward our family, friends, and our community. Things are going sideways out there, and we need to take a minute to remember who we are and what we are all about. I really want to sing and dance and play again with everyone. How about you?

Peace and joy,

Nancy