Every day my students turn my classroom into a symphony of second chances. – Clint Smith

That phrase makes me shiver. Not unpleasantly at all, but rather from the sheer power of it, and from my desire to have that possibility of second chances be more present in the school system. Well. Why stop there. I want to see it on a global scale.

The phrase is spoken by Clint Smith in this TEDx Talk:

Here’s another beautiful phrase from the talk:

I carry their stories like a back pocket full of prayers.

The talk is captioned Celebrating resilience. Isn’t that one of natures foremost traits? Resilience. The abilility to endure, to bounce back, to survive and even prosper, despite harsh conditions.

Clint shares the resilience of his students, in a poetic and gripping narrative. I think most people have a story of resilience. I know I have a couple. Who would I be without those stories, told and retold. Who would you be without your stories?