Thoughts from No-One

For 25 years, this story has sat in my head waiting to be told. A field-trip for 3 days, sailing on a tall ship, with 26 inner-city teenagers. Those 3 days were unforgettable, but it took a year of my blood, sweat and tears as well as a few hundred dollars. The problems that I encountered and my successes overcoming them, in the end, were well worth it. There were times, however, when I felt like giving up, yet I persevered where many of my colleagues said that they would have given up. That made me question the reason for my persistence and determination. The more I wrote, the more I saw memorable and influential moments of my life, which had led me to become the teacher who wouldn't give up or take "No" for answer. This book, Thoughts from No-One, in a sense, brings me full circle to the poem of the same name that I wrote over 40 years ago, while contemplating what I would accomplish in the future. As life would have it, the book became a tribute to those of us who have overcome obstacles and come out the other side successfully. I hope you enjoy reading certain passages, as much as I have enjoyed sharing them, and perhaps my story will help to inspire some teachers to attempt and accomplish the impossible for their students.