Gabriel Woods-Lamanuzzi

And I looked around the room and realized that it was full of curiosity and laughter.

And I realized that I was laughing too.

I had actually laughed every time something went wrong that morning with the floofy mass, with the spoon spelunking.

Maybe I didn't laugh with the car battery.

But my point is that...

Even though things went spectacularly awry in ways I hadn't even imagined, I was having a darn good time.

And I did not feel safe, and I was not in my comfort zones.

And I was most assuredly also frantic and anxious.

But it was working.

I felt alive.

Anyway, that graduation requirement turned into a education minor.

And instead of doing brain research the past five years, I've been teaching all around the world.

And for every piece of organization and predictability that I've given up in my classrooms, I've welcomed in equal parts adventure and joy.

And that's a ratio I've worked really hard to get right.

And I got to say, my students have really taught me a lot about living a better life.

Thank you.