give them the chance to triumph

give them the chance to triumph(ˈtrīəmf)

middle schoolers and self-doubt(dout)

By Henry H. Walker

an advisee(ədˌvīˈzē, ˌadˌvīˈzē) blurts(blərt) out:
“Why are middle schoolers so anxious(ˈaNG(k)SHəs)
about performing in front of others?”
some answer they don’t know,
one answers that it’s simple:
“They are middle schoolers.”
I answer that in the middle school ages,
people click into a new understanding,
a new realization(ˌrē(ə)ləˈzāSHən) of self,
and self in relation to others,

rather than empowering(əmˈpou(ə)r) the optimist(ˈäptəməst) within,
too often such a change empowers the pessimist(ˈpesəməst) within,
the syndrome(ˈsinˌdrōm) of the imposter(imˈpästər) can permeate(ˈpərmēˌāt) them,
the fear that changes without and within
are distorting(dəˈstôrt) the formerly(ˈfôrmərlē) unblemished(ˌənˈblemiSHt) child
into a budding(ˈbədiNG) adult with acne(ˈaknē) on the face and in the soul,

the face and body that were perfect for parent and grandparent,
distorted toward the wrong,
and they fear what others see in them,
for each cannot see self in a real mirror(ˈmirər),
but instead they see self in a funhouse mirror,
all wrong and funny-looking,
what a school needs to do
is to accurately(ˈakyərətlē) mirror back to the student
the extraordinary(ikˈstrôrdnˌerē,ˌekstrəˈôrdn-) self that is already there,
and can become even better
if believed in by others, and by the self itself,

beware(bəˈwer) the smudge(sməj), the flaw(flô) in the view,
believe in the new which builds upon the old,
and can triumph if but given the chance.

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2019/10/give-them-chance-to-triumph.html