You are a Marvel
By: Pau Casals

Each second we live is a new
and unique moment of the
universe, a moment that will
never be again... And what
do we teach our children? We
teach them that two and two
make four, and that Paris is
the capital of France.

When will we also teach
them what they are?

We should say to each of them:
Do you know what you are? You
are a marvel. You are unique. In
all the years that have passed,
there has never been another
child like you. Your legs,
your arms, your clever fingers,
the way you move.

You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo,
a Beethoven. You have the
capacity for anything.
Yes, you are a marvel. And
when you grow up,
can you then harm another
who is, like you, a marvel?

You must work—we must
all work—to make the
world worthy of its children.

Meditation

Grounding (2 minutes)

You’re invited to sit comfortably, feet grounded on the floor, hands resting softly in your laps. Take a deep breath in through your nose … and exhale slowly through your mouth. Feel your body settle into the chair, into the moment, into the gift of your own presence. You’ve given your time and your heart to this work today. Let this moment be your space to receive.

Lecto Divina (Divine Reading) (3 minutes)

Read the poem “You Are a Marvel” aloud slowly and reverently. Pause briefly between stanzas to let the words sink in.

Observation (3 minutes)

Notice which words or lines stayed with you. Perhaps a phrase touched your heart, or a single word echoed within you. Let that phrase rest gently in your awareness.

Inquiry (10 minutes)

In a time of quiet journaling or silent reflection, consider the questions:

What part of you today needs to hear, “You are a marvel”?
How might you remind the children, colleagues, or communities you serve of their own brilliance and worth?
What would it mean to make the world “worthy of its children”?
What questions are you holding, making meaning of, or marinating on from the poem?
What are the poem’s implications for your work in your role, and in the wider system of education?

Contemplative Closing (2 minutes)

As you come to the close of this ritual, continue to hold yourself in the truth of this poem that we are all marvels, each one unique and necessary.Together, we work to make the world and our schools worthy of the children, families, and communities we serve. Place a hand over your heart and repeat quietly to yourself:

“I am a marvel. You are a marvel. We are a marvel.”

End with a final deep breath — inhale possibility, exhale gratitude.

Poem & Meditation: You are a Marvel