There are some days in which the pulse of one's heart and the heart of the world can be felt a million miles away. And the beat is loud and purposeful. 

This afternoon around 2:00 PM, we stopped all class to conduct a "read-aloud" performed by our new student who had arrived from Mexico only four months ago. Since then, the beat of his voice has slowly become louder, more energetic, more confident and vibrant. 

He chanted the class chant this morning with a beat of power: "I know I can. Be what I want to be. If I work hard at it. I'll be where I want to be." A smile on his face. 

There was a bit of trembling in his voice when he began his reading. "The Big Hungry Caterpillar." He was ready but nervous. We helped him along and when he arrived at the last page and completed that final phrase. He put both hands up in the air. My classroom burst with pride as they gave him a standing ovation. One of my students raised her hand following the reading and questioned: "Mrs. Amoscato. Next time he reads, can we have a tunnel where he runs through and we chant his name?" With the beat of life on my heart, I could not help but respond with a resounding yes. It is a beautiful thing when your students are able to hear the beat as well. 

This evening, I had the pleasure of attending a jazz concert at a venue surrounding by family. In that first act, there happened to be a female drummer who took my breath away. Everyone's really. When she closed her eyes, her entire body felt the beat. Her arms and fingertips, her legs and her shoes felt the beat of life. There are such wonderful souls out there who are completely in tune with the beat of humility. They feel it. They welcome it. They spread that whimsical beat and pass it on from sole to sole until the world is tapping away spontaneously and freely. With an admired whimsy. 

Challenge the individuals around you to find their beat. But before you do that, be sure to find your own.