“This class is boring as ____!” With a little imagination, most anyone of school age or beyond could fill in this blank in any number of ways. I was witness to a student who chose a rather explicit way to fill-in-the-blank. In the four months I have been working as a paraprofessional substitute in two of the best school districts in Minnesota, I have never been more angry. In general, I am a pretty relaxed person and have learned to let many things not bother me too much. However, I found myself raging about this incident for days, and even weeks afterwards, and feeling so negative toward this one individual student that I realized I needed to do a bit of soul-searching.
After all, the student was just being a normal middle school aged student. I probably filled in that blank the same way when I was his age. What was my problem? Why be so upset about such a common, average American student sentiment? A conversation yesterday gave me the answer for which I have been searching. To be bored is a gift, a luxury.
I do not know if it is from traveling, talking to my friend who has done so much work with youth and activism in the inner cities of America, or just simply reading the newspapers and magazines on random coffee tables throughout my days, or from the blessing of working in Special Education these past four months, but my consciousness of those who have no time to be bored because they are fighting every moment just to survive has increased dramatically this past year.
What I wish every student realized is that there are those in this world who will not eat today. They have no time to be bored. There are children in this world, children in the city where you live, who do not have a home. They have no time to be bored. There are parents in this world who have children with special needs who need care 24 hours a day, for the rest of their lives. They have no time to be bored. There are so many in this world for which boredom is not even an option.
Even though I did not realize this until I was 40 years old, this is what I wish all students might realize. Boredom is a gift. If, and when, you might find yourself bored, appreciate this gift. Be thankful! You are one of the lucky ones in this world.
A Grateful Life 