As a teacher, I find my lessons are more productive if I am flexible. The more I can change to the students’ needs the more they will learn and retain the information. Just a few years ago it was interesting watching technology move into the classrooms. Many older teachers fought the technology while the younger teachers embraced the technology. I always want to remain flexible. That is why I exercise, meditate and keep an open-mind and heart. As my acceptance grows so does my flexibility and teaching ability.

Flexible

"The characters are so flexible you can’t break them.” - Dwayne McDuffie*

In the year 1839 a space-pod crashes into a cotton field. A slave woman Miriam finds the pod. In the pod is an alien named Arnus, from the planet Terminus. Decades later Arnus does not age and is living as Augustus Freeman IV, a high society and wealthy lawyer. When Freeman’s house is broken into he uses his powers to defend his home. One of the intruders, Raquel Ervin, witnesses the powers. She persuades Freeman to become a superhero and defend the weak as the hero Icon. Raquel joins the fight using Terminus Technology as Icon’s sidekick, Rocket. Being an alien that ages slowly and waiting for our technology to catch up to his Icon must be flexible changing with what is around him.

The Taoists speak of flexibility. Young trees are flexible and bend in the wind. The older trees, dry and brittle break in the wind. In this example, we learn it is better to stay flexible. That is impossible! Even the youngest of trees will one day be dry and brittle. But our spirits and minds can stay flexible. Strive to keep an opened-mind and opened-heart. An opened-mind is always flexible to new ideas and interesting uses for old ideas. An opened-heart is always willing to speak from the heart and follow the heart’s desire. When we strive for flexibility we find we think more clearly and the ideas flow easily. New ideas are not difficult to grasp. We find our will and spirit grow stronger. We find our patience grows with no breakage in the wind.

Icon
First Appearances: Icon #1, May 1993; Milestone, DC Comics

Creators: Dwayne McDuffie (writer) and M.D. Bright (art)

* “Secret Origin: the Story of DC Comics, Warner Bros, release date November 09, 2010