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DECEMBER 2004

Lessons from the Galapagos
By Jill Levy

They were all over the place everywhere I looked. And when I wasn't looking, they were under my feet, moving silently in a foreordained direction. Lizards, hundreds of them gathered together communicating in a silent language known only to them. On occasion and without warning, they issued an admonition in the form of a slimy oral projectile. Small and large, dressed in their colorful finery, the cold-blooded ones huddled closely for warmth and to give homage to their deity. Others, a smaller and less aggressive species, scurried from place to place seeking nourishment while trying to stay out of harm's way. Some are able to hold their own amidst the rise and fall of the tides while others never venture from secure ground.

Elsewhere, the boobies abounded. Underfoot, they simply sat on the ground and stared, daring me to get in their way. In my face and without shame, they carried out the orders that nature intended. From above, they compelled me to respect their point of view or suffer the indignity of their punishment. Their finery was continually on display. In comparison, I felt diminished and unkempt. Shod in shoes of red and blue, they were all over the place. The younger ones fought aggressively for their positions. Usually not seen by the public, they took no prisoners and were oblivious to the stealthy reptiles that laid in wait for their feast.

Amidst the trappings of benevolent control, the “beach master” moved across his domain on the constant alert for intruders. Not willing to allow for diversity, fearful of outsiders and protective of his sphere of influence, his barking voice reached the ears of all who were present and those who were hidden from view. Peace reigned in the kingdom and no outsider dared to make a challenge—not at that time, anyway!

I apologize. Did you think I was at Tweed or “110” or 65 Court Street? Oh, no! I was simply describing my extraordinary visit to the Galapagos Islands.

It is true that we sometimes see ourselves in the behavior of animals. In the Galapagos, one can see the physical and behavioral adaptations and truly understand the enormous power of natural forces. Protected from us, the animals of the islands live out their destiny in indescribable beauty.

It was the cigarette butt lying alongside of the trail that startled me. I was reminded about how we tamper with natural forces—even in our chosen profession. How we impose, inflict and indoctrinate modifies the natural order of things.  And who is to know how it will all turn out over the long haul. That lone cigarette butt was a signal that we cannot afford to be careless about anything we do personally or professionally.#

Jill Levy is President, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators.
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