Mindful Monday: A tribute to Bob Weir and the Grateful Dead on MLK Day.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the Grateful Dead lately. With Bob Weir’s passing, I found myself thrown back to the 1990’s when I was a student here at WWPHS (South). The memories of that time, the carpet in the commons, the specific vibe in the hallways, and the faculty who guided us, feel incredibly close right now. I can still vividly remember the afternoon rush to Ellsworth's to grab a San Francisco, the perfect sandwich that somehow made a long day feel manageable. It’s a strange and beautiful thing to walk these halls now and a reminder that while the music changes, the spirit of this place remains the same.
Bob Weir stands as a testament to what it means to "stay in the light." He was a masterclass in the long game, showing us that if you take care of your "instrument"—your mind and body—you can keep contributing long after others have put their guitars away. His life was a "slow burn” and he leaned into the mental and physical work required to stay on the road for six decades. He lived by a simple code: if you respect the music, the music will sustain you.
As we head into the second half of this school year, it’s easy to feel like the music is playing us rather than the other way around. Here is a "setlist" for your mental health to help you stay in rhythm when the daily grind gets heavy.
1. "Touch of Grey" (Resilience)
The lyrics of "Touch of Grey" describe a string of disasters we know all too well as educators: a jammed copier, tech failures, lessons that miss the mark, and the weight of a rough start to the week. In our profession, the "touch of grey" isn’t a sign of fading or defeat; it is the silver lining of the morning sun hitting a dark situation. Instead of exhausting yourself fighting the chaos, lean into the mantra “I will get by. WE will survive.”
This Week’s Goal: Aim for the "grey day." Remember that grey is the color of endurance. It’s not a bad day; it’s a sustainable, steady, and balanced one.
2. "The Music Never Stopped" (Finding the Rhythm)
The Grateful Dead were never about a static recording; they were about a living, breathing sound. Bob Weir spent decades ensuring the music would survive him by passing the torch to new generations, proving that the song changes but the spirit remains. As educators, we are the conductors of a similar legacy. Our "music" doesn’t end when the bell rings; it resonates in the lives of our students long after they leave our classrooms.
This Week’s Goal: In this profession, the greatest tribute you can pay to the music is simply staying on stage. The song has always survived through the strength of the community (SOUTH) surrounding it, so lean into your support system this week. Who are the people in your building who help you find the beat when you’ve lost count? Reach out and let them know they are the ones keeping the harmony alive.
3. "Eyes of the World" (Perspective)
At its heart, this song reminds us that we aren't just witnesses to the world, we are its creators. "Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world." In the deep stretch of winter, when the days are long and the weight of the school year feels heavy, it is easy to feel like a small cog in a vast machine. In those moments, sometimes the best thing is to simply reconnect with your soul and remember that you are the lens through which your classroom finds its light.
This Week’s Goal: Shift your gaze toward the quiet victories. Find your success in the grace you show a struggling student and the kindness you offer your own heart.
4. "Cassidy" (The Exhale)
Musically, the song mirrors the rhythm of a school year. It builds to a soaring peak before dropping into a quiet, restorative acoustic space. It reminds us that the "inhale" of our work, the high-energy instruction and the constant on of the classroom is only possible if we allow ourselves the "exhale." You cannot maintain "Sugar Magnolia" energy without "Cassidy" stillness.
This Week’s Goal: Honor the exhale. Set a hard stop at night. Close the laptop, curl up with the dog and silence the notifications. You can’t play a four-hour set on a dead battery; the music will be waiting for you in the morning.
5. "Box of Rain" (Presence)
Written as a gift to ease a difficult transition, this song symbolizes the shift from being a protector to being a ballast, the internal weight that keeps the ship steady when it gets stormy. With my daughter, McKenna, graduating this year, I’m feeling the truth that time moves faster than we can ever keep pace with. It’s a reminder that we can’t stop the rain, but we can always offer a place to stay dry. As our kids and our students prepare for their own transitions into the real world, let’s be the constant presence that makes their journey feel a little less cold and a lot more supported.
This Week’s Goal: Practice active listening at home and in the classroom. Be the cool, steady "Box of Rain" your family, colleagues and students can rely on.
Bonus Track: "Sugar Magnolia" (The Celebration)
While "Cassidy" is the exhale, "Sugar Magnolia" is the reason we do it in the first place. It is the blossom in the classroom, the breakthrough moment when a student finally "gets it," or the five minutes of laughter in the mezz that fuels you for the rest of the day. You can’t live in this energy 24/7 but you must notice it when it arrives. Don't let the bright moments get buried. Let yourself stay in that "Sunshine Daydream" and acknowledge the joy. If the week starts to feel like a train wreck, just remember what the Grateful Dead did… They didn't stop the song. They didn't walk off stage. They just kept playing, sometimes through the noise, until they found the melody again.
This Week’s Goal: Don’t judge yourself for a bad "set." Just keep your hands on the strings and wait for the rhythm to return. It always does.
We may not be playing at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, but what happens in these classrooms matters just as much. Whether you are finding your footing in a 'Touch of Grey' morning or basking in a 'Sugar Magnolia' breakthrough, know that your presence is the steady beat South needs. Let’s continue to make sure we hear the music while it’s playing. Take care of our instruments and remember that the song only ends if we stop playing.
As we reflect on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, and move into a new week, I invite you to find your own 108 seconds of silence, a number Bob held sacred and the length of the tribute at his memorial this past weekend, to tune your instrument and find the stillness required to turn the 'jangling discords' of our daily grind into a beautiful symphony.
Stay Grateful!
Coach Fish
