I have been having a nightmarish time these days with some of my best colleagues and my best students. Everything we had taught our pupils and we strongly believed in was betrayed.
We have always insisted in teaching them that rules exist and must be followed to guarantee everybody's rights.
Together we have witnessed how many people just don't share that fundamental belief.
One of my colleagues wanted to share with our sweet, very disappointed, hardworking students (girls) these words by Miriam Mafai (Italian journalist, writer, politician) which I totally agree with and I'm going to translate for you all:
To achieve success without tricks nor faults
Corri, bambina, corri, tu che hai buona la testa, le gambe e il cuore.
Run, little girl, run, you with a good head, good legs and heart
Corri senza rallentare davanti agli ostacoli, alla stanchezza, alla nostalgia
(che pure talvolta ti coglie)
Run without slowing down before the obstacles, the tiredness, the nostalgia (which yet sometimes you feel)
del tempo della lentezza e della protezione.
for the time of slowliness and protection