Obstacle Illusions
Evelyn*, a petite, dimpled second grader with blue bows in her hair, a pink top, pink jeans, and even pinker sneakers, greeted me warmly last April on my first day back to leading in-person school groups. It was thrilling to see my students attached to bodies instead of just talking heads on Google Meets. Evelyn stood out a bit, sitting in her wheelchair, smiling at me… but not because of her mode of transportation. There was something about Evelyn.
A few weeks later, I introduced a version of the exercise “Yes, And” where one student starts the first line of a story and the next kid adds a line to it. They go back and forth furnishing plot points and character development, accepting and adding on to their co-created tale. The remaining students were charged with acting out each line as it was told, interpreting the words into form and motion, sometimes adding remarks or sound effects of their own as the story unfolds.
Evelyn volunteered to be an actor in the scene. My anxiety spiked for a sec not knowing how she was going to maneuver in the small make-shift “stage” area in her wheelchair. Before I had a chance to troubleshoot, she quickly switched to a nearby walker and used her upper body strength to act out what was being said. She literally at times, threw herself into the scene, happily playing with the others on stage. As I watched her, my heart swelled with joy and admiration. Her wheelchair was an obstacle illusion in her mind, and she figured out the best way to participate. At the end of class, she told me, “today was a 10 out of 5”. The other students agreed that this group session had blown right through our number rating system. I exited the room floating on air. Evelyn is an inspiration for me to go beyond my own obstacle illusions and participate as fully and playfully as I can. Who has inspired you recently to move past your own obstacle illusions?
*Not her real name.
Note to self: Going forward, make sure there’s enough space for Evelyn to use her wheelchair on the “stage” if she chooses to do so.
Resilient Leadership. Accelerated Career Growth.
3 年Robin Fox, I'm thinking about how her "obstacle illusion" is perhaps not infrequently less a barrier for her than for others observing. There's great research on how our expectations (as teachers, leaders) of others influences their outcomes. Reading this "10 out of 5" rating, my heart is uplifted, too. Thanks for sharing this, Robin.
Extending Invitations to Experience and Engage with Who and What Matters to You
3 年Robin Fox you had me at "Obstacle Illusion." Great 2 words to see the world from over the next week.
Lovely story, Robin Fox. I like the idea of not seeing illusory obstacles, and wonder what we see in their place. Joining-in space? Possibility Canvas?