Page 4 - The Edge - Summer 2019
P. 4

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

                          By Jill Barragan

                          Trip to the Grand Canyon Provided a

                          Valuable Lesson in Vulnerability
        Jill Barragan


           I recently took at trip to the Grand
        Canyon with my daughter, Reagan,
        and her 4  grade class. It was a 22-
                 th
        hour  turnaround  trip  where  we  left
        the school Thursday night at 10:30
        p.m., and we didn’t return until 8:30
        p.m. Friday.
           There was no hotel, no hot shower
        in the morning, no Diet Coke on the
        bus. Sleeping was to take place on the
        bus and creature comforts of showers
        and caffeine were of no importance.
           As I prepared for the trip, I shared
        with anyone who would listen and
        commiserate with me about my dread
        at having volunteered for such a trip. I
        hated the idea. I may have even tried
        to get a couple folks to take my place.
        I was so reluctant to go on this trip
        that at work on Thursday I told our
        Director  of  Human  Resources  and
        Superintendent that my throat was
        getting sore and I was getting a kink in my neck – as if they could  for me to stop being afraid about this trip and all of the things
        get me out of this!  All the while, Reagan was so excited for the  I couldn’t control. It was time for me to be vulnerable so that I
        trip that every day the week prior she would go on and on about  could experience the same joy and belonging and love on this
        the trip and how excited she was. I think I managed to convince   trip that my daughter wanted to – and would – experience. So,
        her that I was equally as excited. I was not.          I let go of control, and opened up to the vulnerability of being a
           The trip arrived and I could mostly only think about how  passenger rather than a driver; being a receiver of experiences
        awful this trip was going to be without Diet Coke, while sleeping  rather than the author of it. Sure enough, I had an incredible
        on a bus, and a pile of work back at the office that wasn’t getting  time bonding with my daughter and her incredibly hilarious
        any smaller.                                           friends.
           As soon as the bus took off and the kids began to wind down,   I share this because I think we all have opportunities to be
        I pulled my blanket over my head and got on my phone (we  vulnerable. This could be at work or in a personal relationship.
        were supposed to set an example for the students by putting  This could be apologizing; applying for a promotion; changing
        away our technology). I had heard about a TED Talk  by a  your career course; going back to school; speaking to a legislator
        woman named Brene Brown. I had been wanting to listen to it  about a topic that is important to your district; or any number
        for weeks and hadn’t had a chance, so what better time?  of things.
           Headphones in, I spent the next 20 minutes listening to   It’s 100 percent possible that in having the courage to be
        Brene speak about vulnerability. Strange topic, I know. And  vulnerable we can fail and not achieve our goal. But it’s 100
        while I had many takeaways from her talk, what resonated most  percent certain that we won’t achieve that goal if we don’t give
        with me is that “vulnerability is having the courage to show up  up the control to be vulnerable enough to try.
        when you can’t control the outcome. Vulnerability is the core of   So let’s be brave in our lives, show up, and take chances. It’s
        shame and fear and our struggle for worthiness, but it’s also the  very possible that you will get to experience the joy, belonging
        birthplace of joy, of creativity, of belonging, of love.”  and love that also comes with vulnerability, just as I got to
           Those who know me know that letting go of control is not  experience with my daughter in the Grand Canyon. Today, I
        one of my strengths. But on that bus, I recognized it was time  hope you’ll choose courage over comfort.




        4                                                                                 THE EDGE  |  SUMMER 2019
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