Gracefully, Out of Step

Gracefully, Out of Step

Jovi, one of the siblings in The Tukor’s Journey, wants so badly to be a ballerina. But she lacks a sense of rhythm and can’t quite dance to the beat. The fact that Jovi is too much out of step with everyone else embarrasses her mom; she wants Jovi to outshine everyone else.

Isn’t that the constant pressure we so often feel—the pressure to be in-step with everyone else, to be “on beat” with the cultural marches of our time. As I tell young people in my life, it’s easy to rebel against your parents. It’s easy to think your parents are out of step, out of tune. It’s much harder to walk independently of your peers. Generations move like amoebas, even as they think they are independently rebelling.

Finding the great adventure of our life requires of us to find that service to others, deep inside, that we are called to do. Not on a grand stage. But in the quiet, small steps of life. Or in a battle that no one knows you took on. Rarely will that be a trendy thing to do. Rarely does it make for an easy hashtag. Never is it a twitter handle. It’s walking alongside someone, being where others either don’t know, don’t care, or don’t clap.

Gracefully out of step, we take on the battle. We listen to others and to the undercurrents of the culture. We find our unique journey.

If you are looking for gifts for an elementary or middle school child, there’s still time to purchase The Tukor’s Journey! It’s s available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and other fine retailers. 

Kids learn about unusual birds, animals, and places from around the world as they read The Tukor’s Journey. For teachers who would like to incorporate The Tukor’s Journey into their classroom activities, a free downloadable Classroom Discussion Guide is available on my website here. The Tukor’s Journey is available through all major wholesalers: Schools can purchase The Tukor’s Journey through their standard purchase process.

See you on the trail!