My slogan, motto, subtitle for this lil’ blog, “chance favors the prepared mind,” is attributed to Louis Pasteur who acknowledged being the beneficiary of serendipity, but having the perspicacity to recognize a chance for which he was prepared.

I’d like to believe that I’m prepared for whatever delightful happenstances may come my way, but I’m using the phrase to advocate for preparation itself – constant and continuous. Further, I am acknowledging that all those chances, all those subtle observations, miscellaneous awarenesses, serendipitous chance events are keys to preparing the mind.

I like to say that educating a child is a long season, perhaps meaning that all the strike outs, wild pitches, double plays, errors, and straight up losses may get one into the play-offs after all – and then the season only gets longer. And while a little alliterative, the phrase “life long learner” is often tossed about without much meaning, when it is so essential to a meaningful life. Preparing the mind should never stop, unless there are no more chances left, but chances are, there will be.

Further, its not about me, it’s about my kids, and its about all the students I’ve ever had or will have – and especially the ones I won’t. I want all of them to have the chances to prepare their minds. I want them to embrace serendipity as opportunity, to live for the haps whatever the hazards, love their mistakes, find the happy in the accidents, and look at every random event as a chance to learn.