You know what I loved most about being a high school and college student? I had a set time each day where I *had* to do something I loved. Back then they actually required me to read Shakespeare and to creatively write! And they gave me A’s for it! Some of the happiest memories of my twenties were spent in Billie Letts’ (author of “Where the Heart Is”) creative writing class, and I can still remember the exhilaration of discovery I felt in my high school British Literature classroom.

As I was reading Stephen Banno’s article about how he has developed a new class for his high school students called “The Love Course,” I wished I could morph back to my sixteen-year-old self (okay, this is a continuing wish theme…) so that I could enroll. He explains how promoting of “self esteem” since the 1980’s has produced over-confident and  extremely busy/active teens…but they are also miserable teens. He believes the component they are missing is an understanding of LOVE.  “The class focuses on personal happiness, good relationships, how to flourish with others, friendship, marriage, the love of the environment, altruism, agapic love, and ‘random acts of kindness’.”  Way to go, Stephen! I think you’re on to something. To read more, click here.

 “I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn. I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”–Maya Angelou