Making Your Mark

Making your mark: we humans have been obsessed—since the time our earliest hominid cousins roamed the earth—with leaving something behind to say, I was here. 

As someone who is both neuro-spicy and a trained anthropologist, I have always been intrigued by the patterns that show up on repeat in human behavior. At the very heart of it, I am a people watcher—an observer endlessly curious about what I see. 

A couple of days ago, I noticed tire skid marks all over the freshly paved road I drive on every day going in and out of town. There were too many to be explained by people braking suddenly for a deer or other critter crossing the road. I realized it was intentional—someone was leaving their mark. Frankly, it isn’t all that different from Neolithic humans using their hands as stencils to make handprints on cave walls. 

That got me thinking about the other ways we humans leave our mark, figuratively and literally. Something you might call a legacy.
​
Abject cruelty—breaking and hurting things for the sake of breaking and hurting—is one kind of legacy. To be clear, this behavior isn’t accidental. It’s coldly calculated to harm as many people as possible, and I’m sure you’ve noticed it has been amplified and celebrated in recent years by the people with the most to gain from it. There’s also the pettier cruelty, including obnoxious behavior towards service workers and harsh judgment, the kind that shows up in shitty comments from keyboard warriors. 

Related is the particular type of narcissistic vanity that makes sure your name ends up on buildings and the like—whether through “charitable” contributions or straight-up bullying, never through honor or genuine appreciation. I sometimes wonder whether they understand it isn’t the kind of legacy they think it is, whether they’re really just that oblivious, or simply don’t care.

Kindness, empathy, and working for the good of all are another way to leave your mark. Often these endeavors are carried out quietly, without fanfare, with the understanding that the point isn’t performance but the people who will benefit. Frequently, the extent of their giving—whether in dollars, time, or attention—isn’t broadly recognized until after they’re gone. Sadly, we’ve seen a few examples of this in the last few weeks. 

You don’t need fame or fortune to leave a positive mark. All it takes is a dedication to kindness, a willingness to put your talents to use, to recognize your privilege—no matter how large or small—and to utilize it to serve others. To put it simply: make a difference.

The legacy we leave behind is up to each of us. Knowing you have a lifetime to build it, do you want to be known for cruelty and breaking things for the sake of vanity or advancing yourself, or for lifting others and making the world better for everyone? I certainly know where I stand. Honestly, it isn’t that hard—the golden rule of common decency is the only guide you need. Don’t be an a$$.

---

DRC News

The DRC Crew had a great first week back from summer break. We're settling into a routine that honors each student member—their interests and goals—which we then build into a schedule that supports everyone's requests and needs. Our morning check-ins are a time to make requests, discuss the things that arise, and review the day's opportunities. The morning academic period is designed for independent study (with support as needed): each kiddo has a folder with a list of activities and resources, whether worksheets, books, websites, or apps to choose from. On Thursday and Friday, I met with each of them to discuss which items they wanted on their lists, typed them up, and printed them for their folders.  

After that session each morning, we usually bake something for lunch. Then have a class that focuses directly on particular requests. For example, on Thursday, we had our first geography class where they decided to begin with the southern portion of Africa. Each week, they will study maps, choose a country to research and share with the group, and ultimately fill in a blank map of that area of the world. One teen suggested the class, and several others wanted to join.

There are usually a few kids who help to make lunch each day. We all create the menu together on Friday during Morning Check-in for the following week—largely based on what we have available in the cabinet and the freezer. 

We decided that our afternoons would mostly consist of hands-on and creative pursuits. This week, we had art sessions with some inspiration from social media reels. After someone brushed Digby and accumulated a pile of fur, B spontaneously decided to needle-felt a tiny sculpture of Digby with it. Luckily, we had some needle felting supplies that a volunteer donated a few years ago.  

This is what self-directed, non-coercive education looks like. Everyone is fully engaged and making conscious choices about their day.  

---

Volunteers
​Next week, we will begin hosting our community volunteers. They range from folx with woodworking and carpentry experience to arts & crafts, outdoor exploration, and chess. We will also have five SLU students from the Community Based Learning Program (CBL) joining us each week this semester. We would love to add more volunteers to our list. Get in touch if you would like to join us regularly or for a one-off.