Me and You and Everyone We Know

What's our collective noun?

Did you know that when one ladybug …

… finds other ladybugs …

they call this gathering a loveliness?

Did you know that when one hummingbird …

… is found in a group of hummingbirds, they call this a shimmer?

It’s also sometimes referred to as a charm or a bouquet of hummingbirds.

So fitting, right? Such poetry! I love it when words perfectly capture exactly how something feels. It’s rare for language to truly express the essence of a thing, but sometimes we chatty humans nail it with our collective nouns.

Like how when one crow . . .

… joins a bunch of other crows, it’s a murder.

I doubt anyone asked their opinion on the matter, but I do feel like crows would agree this word choice is very on-brand for the vibe they’re going for.

A group of woodpeckers is a descent.

A bunch of ferrets is called a business.

A gathering of writers is a procrastination.

(Okay, that last one is not official, but does feel apt.)

Last week, I spoke at an event in Portland, Oregon where thousands of educators gathered for the National ESEA Conference. The last few months have been spent tethered to my desk finishing artwork for a new book, so this was a much-needed change of pace. I was with people! Real-live-humans!

Years ago, when I first began doing events with educators it was at the invitation of Franklin Covey’s Leader in Me program. Due to my inexperience, I referred to it as a room full of “teachers and…” — then realizing I didn’t quite know who these other people were — “… administrators? support staff? assorted others?”

Over time, I came to understand that this gathering, and gatherings like it, did have people with varied job titles. They bring together people with unique responsibilities and experiences that differ wildly from one another. Some worked directly with students in schools while others worked with paper or in offices elsewhere, but it all impacted students.

Through conversations, I quickly learned their differences were only roles. This was a gathering of similar souls. Educators. All of them.

This educator took such colorful notes of my talk!

My adventures have connected me with designers, children’s media professionals, software engineers, and even plumbers. I’ve loved them all, but educators bring an entirely different energy. They share stories of kids. They bring me artwork. They recommend books. They open up about their challenges and are genuinely curious about my own. They’re incredible.

My favorite part of any event is getting to connect with new friends afterward. This past weekend, one educator was sharing after just how much he needed this gathering. He showed me his notes. He’d written down:

“This room = hope. Our students = dreams.”

We have lots of names for what we all call ourselves, right? We have teams. Committees. Groups. Gaggles. You’re probably part of at least some sort of collective clump of people. We might not call them a shimmer or a charm, but maybe sometimes they are. Here’s to the beauty that grows when we come together.

Here’s to the joy rebels. The stubborn optimists. Relentless enthusiasts.

To the hope. To the dreams. To the loveliness.

• Speaking - I have a few open slots in the coming months. Book your event now.

• Store - We’re shipping out signed books for Read Across America week! Get yours here.

• Sharing - A reader sent me this Junot Diaz quote after last week’s newsletter and it so captures what we’re trying to do here: “What I am trying to cultivate is not blind optimism… but radical hope” - Junot Diaz What’s a quote you love?