Design Principles: Service and Compassion
The last post on the design principles from my kids’ Expeditionary Learning school and how they relate to being an artist. You can view all of the design principles posts here.
Design Principle #10: Service and Compassion
We are crew, not passengers, and are strengthened by acts of consequential service to others. One of a school’s primary functions is to prepare its students with the attitudes and skills to learn from and be of service to others.
My kids don’t have classes. They have crews and are crew members and have crew leaders instead of teachers. Using that wording really puts them in the mindset that they are participating and are a vital part of their education and not just there for the ride. The kids truly are responsible for their own learning and are expected to be an active part of the educational experience.
In addition to being a valuable contributing member of the school, the kids are required to do 30-50 hours of community service each year, depending on their grade level. I love that they are being taught that helping others is an integral part of being a member of society, not just something we might want to do once we retire.
Personal Responsibility
I love the line "we are crew, not passengers"and think it speaks to the difference between success and wondering why things never quite work out. Our lives are what we make of them. If we just sit back and think we are owed a great art career (or wonderful family or whatever it is we want) and then do nothing to take responsibility for making that happen, I think it’s pretty rare for things to just magically turn out okay.
When we realize that we have the power to create our own dreams by taking action, then I think we get what we desire.
Taking personal responsibility for all of our life, both the successes and the failures, is a huge step forward in building the life we want. Realizing that if we put off making art every day and at the end of the week we come up with nothing, we only have ourselves to blame for it. We decided that surfing the internet was more important, noone made us read that one last blog post and then, oops, time to cook dinner. Oh well, I’ll make art tomorrow.
We pick our priorities, we chose our actions, we chose out thoughts. Best to pick actions and thoughts that support our dreams, and prioritize our lives to fit our goals. It certainly is more likely to bring what we want than blaming our failures on someone else. (says the person who did a lot of goofing off today, which was really really nice, but I’m not seeing any new art on the walls in the studio - oops!) Tomorrow…
The House
Above is a photo of the back side of the house I will purchase on wednesday. I don’t have any good pictures of the front because there was a big heating repair van in the driveway today while I was taking pictures, so that will have to wait. The house was build in 1955. It’s only 900 sq ft with no basement. Three bedrooms, 1 bathroom, living room, kitchen and 1 car garage. Very simple, plain and very functional. I’m really excited.
I’m leaving behind 4000 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a study, a studio, kitchen, family room, living room, dining room, huge entry way, laundry room, and large unfinished basement. Oh yes and a 3 car garage.
I’ve done some serious decluttering to get my life to fit into less than 1/4th of the space I’m in now and it feels great. It all sounds rather noble I suppose, and people think I’m crazy but the plan is to put an addition on the back of the house and build my dream studio and dream kitchen. So the work I did fixing up my current house will go to good use as I work with contractors to turn this cute little house into a home I plan on staying in for a long long time.
The only condition is the tree out back has to stay so it’s going to be interesting.
The tree is a crabapple tree. I joked with my real estate agent that she had to find me a big pink tree at my new house, as the neighborhood where I am buying is filled with huge gorgeous crabapple trees and it’s just stunning in the spring. She exceeded expectations and the house has 2, this one in back that spans the entire width of the 50 foot lot (I’ll have to cut a few of the lower branches) and a huge one in front also.
I can’t wait to see it next spring.
Back to packing!
Posted by Lisa in: Being an Artist
Tagged: design principles, Moving, new home, responsibility
Ed Terpening said,
June 23, 2008 @ 9:00 pm
Congratulations on the house, and your de-cluttering efforts. I used to be a “collector” myself, but have cleaned up my act.
Love the passengers quote. Who said it?
natalya said,
June 24, 2008 @ 3:59 am
I wish there was a school like that near me, would love for my kids to go there.. Great quote too! the house is adorable, can’t wait to see the addition. Will you live there while the addition is being built? Good luck packing.
Tracy said,
June 24, 2008 @ 5:06 am
As always, you hit the nail on the head about personal responsibility. I try hard to remind myself of that on the days of wallowing and griping. I may need to wallpaper my house with these Design Principles.
And what a cool tree! For me trees symbolize stability and protection, and this one is so full and round. I’m sure this tree has seen a lot in it’s years there. Nutty as I am, when I moved in I tried to imagine how the trees at my new house saw the change in residents. (My house was abandoned for almost a year before I moved in.) I hope the 3 of them are happier and healthier, plus I planted a new friend for them!
Tina Mammoser said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:25 am
The tree, all I can say is “hammock”. (I would say tire swing but I think I’m getting a little too old, haha!) I look forward to a photo next spring when it’s in bloom.
Lisa Call said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:25 am
Thanks Ed - The quote is from the design principles - I’m not sure exactly where it came from, probably someone from the Expeditionary Learning schools came up with it.
Natalya - Yep - these schools are amazing - they are all over the country. Check out the website to find them: http://www.elschools.org/aboutus/networkmap.html
Not sure what I’ll do while the addition is being built - probably will have to move out for part of it cause the house is so small. First step will be to find a builder.
Tracy - I love your comments about the trees. They are around longer than the residents - I’m sure they have seen a lot. My house is currently empty - not sure how long it’s been that way. It was a rental before so this poor tree probably hasn’t had a lot of love recently. I’m going to untangle the electrical lines out of it and I bet it is much happier. And definitely plant several new friends as all the other trees in the yard died and are just stumps now.
Lisa Call said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:31 am
Tina - yes - absolutely - hammock! Although I’d still go for a tire swing.
Wanda said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:32 am
“We are crew, not passengers” leads to independent thinking as well as knowing you need to be able to get along with others. I know so many people who never take the first step to say hello, or ask if they can help, etc. They are definitely the passengers waiting to be waited on. We all have to be active and thinking in our own lives. I wish I could have gone to a school like that.
I didn’t realize how big your current house was until you just mentioned it. What a change that will be! and the fun of the adventure of adding on with your own personal touch.
cynthia said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:38 am
“I love the line “we are crew, not passengers”and think it speaks to the difference between success and wondering why things never quite work out. Our lives are what we make of them. If we just sit back and think we are owed a great art career (or wonderful family or whatever it is we want) and then do nothing to take responsibility for making that happen, I think it’s pretty rare for things to just magically turn out okay.”
What a great passage!
Good luck with both closings and I look forward to seeing the progress of your new home. That is one huge crab apple tree! We live in a pretty small house and it’s a challenge but we make it work.
Lisa Call said,
June 24, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Wanda - yes - independent thinking. It’s one of the things I just love about the school. They really encourage the kids to question instead of just accept what is spoon fed to them. And yep - I had a big house - I’m going to write more about that and how it colored my view of being an artist - it was a weird internal struggle. But I’m happy to say I won’t miss cleaning this monstrous place!
Cynthia - yep - I think about your house and how you all fit in there and know I can make this work. Creative use of space for sure.
Veronica Funk said,
June 25, 2008 @ 5:56 am
I often wish that my children could attend a school like you describe - not that I’m unhappy with their schools as they do support a positive envronment and encourage the students to work together…but yours sounds absolutely amazing! And I envy you your “dream stduio: - any plans on when it will be ready?
AnneW said,
June 25, 2008 @ 9:51 am
your blog is wonderful…
as is your work. :)
Anne
lainie said,
June 25, 2008 @ 2:49 pm
What a totally inspiring post. Thank you and best of luck with the transition.