Against the Grain

Eduflack Uncategorized

Yesterday, I was on the road, driving back from edu-Grandma’s 94th birthday party.  Such drives are usually the ideal time for Eduflack to reflect, plan, and think through those “big ideas.”  It also gives me the time listen to some of those personal theme songs that litter my iPod.

Every year or so, I like to repost the lyrics to my favorite — Garth Brooks’ “Against the Grain.”  The song is from Brooks’ 1991 album, Ropin’ the Wind.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t get nearly the attention it should.  But it seemed appropriate this day, this week, this year …

Folks call me a maverick 
Guess I ain’t too diplomatic 
I just never been the kind to go along 
Just avoidin’ confrontation 
For the sake of conformation 
And I’ll admit I tend to sing a different song 
But sometimes you just can’t be afraid 
To wear a different hat 
If Columbus had complied 
This old world might still be flat 
Nothin’ ventured, nothin’ gained 
Sometimes you’ve got to go against the grain 
Well, I have been accused 
Of makin’ my own rules 
There must be rebel blood 
Just a-runnin’ through my veins 
But I ain’t no hypocrite 
What you see is what you get 
And that’s the only way I know 
To play the game 
Old Noah took much ridicule 
For building his great ark 
But after forty days and forty nights 
He was lookin’ pretty smart 
Sometimes it’s best to brave the wind and rain 
By havin’ strength to go against the grain 
Well, there’s more folks than a few 
Who share my point of view 
But they’re worried 
If they’re gonna sink or swiim 
They’d like to buck the system 
But the deck is stacked against ’em 
And they’re a little scared 
To go out on a limb 
But if you’re gonna make a difference 
If you’re gonna leave your mark
You can’t follow like a bunch of sheep 
You got to listen to your heart 
Go bustin’ in like old John Wayne 
Sometimes you got to go against the grain 
Nothin’ ventured, nothin’ gained 

Sometimes you’ve got to go against the grain
Happy Monday!
 

34 thoughts on “Against the Grain”

  1. AMEN,Patrick!The lyrics of Garth Brooks’ “Against the Grain” bring out a truth that we’re forgetting as a nation of lost educators.” Journalists and teachers have to say things to remind the leaders, policy-makers, and reformers of education (and many of my past administrators) that “we” have a purpose on the planet: to remind them that we are here, too, and we are going to make them to think twice about thinking only once about what they are doing and implementing in the murky worlds of education. I don’t like the feeling of ropin’ the educational winds blowin’ these days…Happy Monday to you, Patrick!Jeff Pflaum

    Reply

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