My Religion

"When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion."
-- Abraham Lincoln.

I've never read the story of Huck Finn so I've been listening to The Adventures of Huck Finn on CD in my car. I love Huck! He is very clever, yet he is very innocent in a lot of ways. Mostly, I love that he is the best example of Lincoln's quote.

Huck is convinced by society that a runaway slave or anyone helping a runaway slave is the worst kind of person. They are weak and will go to hell. This is what his society has taught him. Yet, as he gets to know Jim (the runaway slave) and even care about him, he decides that it just doesn't feel right to turn him in. And so, even though he is convinced he will go to hell, he does what feels right. He follows his heart.

Maybe I like Huck so much because he reminds me a little of myself. Or at least, that I see a little of myself in him. The fact that he doesn't just accept what he is told. He listens and then "chews on it" for a while and then makes up his own mind.

I actually have a student this year who exhibits some of these characteristics. Every Christmas I write my students a "love" letter. Basically, I tell them what I think is special about them and then tell them that I love them. In his letter, I wrote that I loved his fighting spirit even though it makes my job harder. I meant what I said. It is very annoying to have a student who doesn't immediately do what I ask them to do, or buy what I'm trying to sell. But, do I really want a classroom full of students who take everything I say without "chewing on it" first? No, I don't. In fact, he has really inspired me this year. He's given me the feeling that I can really make a difference by allowing him to be himself. He is my Huck.