In 1966, John Lennon was visiting a modern art exhibit. While making his way through the museum, he came to a piece that consisted of a ladder that led to a magnifying glass hanging from the ceiling. John made his way up the ladder and grabbed the glass to see the message that was written on the ceiling. There was one word – YES. In many later interviews, he credited that positive message to a turning point that led him to meet the artist, Yoko Ono, who would become his partner and true love. He had been expecting a joke, or something negative, but that simple affirmation inspired him.
TED Talks and podcasts are filled with examples of successful people who talk about the power of YES. One of my favorites is “My year of saying yes to everything” by Shonda Rhimes. She describes the transformative power of saying yes and how it helped her overcome fears, open new possibilities, make her a better parent, and a “titan” in television writing. She shares how saying yes brought color back into her life and contrary to logic, saying yes to everything didn’t overload her, it helped bring back balance and joy through focusing on the things she said yes to, starting with playing with her daughter.
For the past five years, I have selected One Word to be my focus for the year. They have been a trait that I want to develop or an act I want to perform. They have included “Inspire, Gratitude, Kindness, Patience, and Light“. This year, I have selected the word YES! My goal is not to make everyone happy, but to explore new possibilities. Saying yes can open doors, create new opportunities, and make our world bigger. I plan to record my journey of saying yes and documenting along the way the new experiences it leads to. Will you join me in being open to new ideas and new adventures? I hope you said, YES!
UPCOMING EVENTS AT BUCHANAN
Thursday, January 16: PTA Meeting (all families welcome!) 7:00 PM in the Library
Monday, January 20: No School for Students in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, January 27: Students of the Month Assembly (Confidence)
Thursday, January 30: PTA Skate Night at Riverside Arena 6:00-8:00 PM
PTA POINTS
- Mark your calendars for our first PTA meeting of 2020: Thursday, January 16 at 7:00pm in the LMC. Childcare will be provided.
- Our next Riverside Skating Night is Thursday, January 30 from 6:00 to 8:00pm. Admission is $6.50 and includes a regular skate rental (premium rental or inline skate rental is an additional $3.00). We hope to see you there!
- Calling all Chili Cooks! There is still time to sign up for the annual Livonia PTSA Council Chili Cook-Off. The event will take place on Saturday, January 18 at Franklin High School. The winning chili-maker will win a prize package plus a $500 grant for the school they are representing.
- The Annual Buchanan VIP Dance will be held on Friday, February 7 from 6:00-8:00pm. The theme this year is the '80s! More information will be coming soon.
Did you know that our theme for the month is Confidence? We will be focusing on having faith in ourselves AND also remembering that confident people help lift others as well. This is a fun theme and may even see the return of our "Positive Post It" activity! Great things are happening at Buchanan!
