Why This Story Matters for the World We’re Building

When I first created this section of the The Cosmic Radar I wanted to make sure that I was sharing news reports that matter and would leave you feeling inspired enough to possibly pay the positivity you just read, forward. In order for the world to become a better place we all have to make the conscious effort to do something positive that will have a lasting effect. I stumbled across a post on threads highlighting a high school in Maine taking a different approach on discipline. Before diving deep into the article the first thing that came to mind is discipline is practically the same across all schools in the United States. We all know what ISD (In School Detention) is and as someone that has experienced it, I can tell you that it is not effective or healthy form of discipline. Look at it this way, a student is isolated and left alone with, possible, negative thoughts that will most likely grow and manifest into a more extreme behavior. If the issue is not resolved it will be stored within yourself waiting for the perfect moment to show itself. 

The Washington Post Story That Caught My Attention

There was a Washington Post article that caught my attention due to it being in the realm of the positive stories that I like to share on this platform. Back in October of 2024, Morse High School in Bath, Maine counselor, Leslie Trundy offered students an option to hike instead of in school detention. When I think of this concept it 100% makes sense because many times I have felt a wave of strong emotion and the only thing that settled the feels was going outside for a raw walk. My definition of a raw walk is no headphones or anything to distract me from hearing the sounds of Mother Nature.  If you live in the right area there is something about the great outdoors that makes you release all the stored frustration from an intense day. Another word that’s popular in the spiritual community is grounding. Grounding yourself is literally going outside barefoot in the dirt and releasing all of your worries to Mother Nature. I read somewhere that our planet earth can absorb all the negative energy as we are grounded barefoot in the grass or soil. I imagine that the planet will alchemize that energy and turn it into something greater, to help itself thrive. So when students at Morse High School started to report feeling better after participating in the hikes and even some returning on their own free will, I knew that this solution is something that needs to be implemented across all schools in the United States. 

Nature as Emotional Reset, Reflection, and Rehabilitation

When you keep in consideration that everything around us is alive, going on a nature walk sounds like a magical experience. There’s a lot happening that we are not aware of and when we do become aware of what is happening that is how we get ourselves recentered back to ourselves after a low vibrational experience. Have you ever been on a walk and noticed breathtaking beautiful flowers that have the most sweet smell? Or how about a tree that has a shape that you can’t stop staring at? No matter what you notice always remember it is there to remind you of the constant beauty that surrounds you. Nature is magical but quiet enough to let you peacefully ponder on what you brought you out there in the first place. For the students at Morse High School that could be the rehabilitation that they need to really think about why and how they ended up in detention. Anyone that is living a successful will have some for nature in their routine. That is what keeps us the balanced in the end. Us humans are wired to be positive and make the best choices for our higher selves on our journey. So when something happens to cause us to “act out” or make a bad choice,  we have to get to source of our trauma to heal it and never make that same mistake twice. 

Discipline Has Evolved — But Not Enough

The form of discipline that is known to be in schools has evolved over the last few decades, but we still have quite a ways to go. The teacher Lisa Trundy from Morse High School may have sped up our timeline to make us one step closer to living the way that we should be, at least in the United States. Hiking is not the only alternative disciplinary action for now, but I believe it will have a positive domino effect. We all have unique individual needs, so it only makes to sense that we start to create different alternatives so students will feel that they can have their individual needs met. If you aren’t familiar with my writings on the website, I am a mother to a 4 year old toddler with extremely high energy. Every time her “zoomies” kick in, I grab her bike and we head out side for some sun and fresh air. If she is having a tantrum, frustrated, or just being a toddler, we will head outside if I can’t get her calmed down or if she can’t regulate her own emotions. The point to all this is nature is the best healer for everyone, no matter what your problems are nature will find a way to heal you. 

A Message to Counselors, Teachers, and School Districts

I hope this story, that The Washington Post has reported, touches the souls of other counselors and teachers so that someone could speak up to implement this change in their school system. Even if they don’t use this exact method it could spark a conversation that could manifest something even better. The point in all of this is that we need to start changing how we rehabilitate the souls that are struggling to evolve, if something is not working we need to find another way until it works. That is the only way that our society will continue to advance without leaving anybody behind. As an adult that silently went through the school system, I wish there were better programs that forced me out of my shell and challenged me to evolve. I understand that everything happens for a reason but I feel as though I would have been further along and closer to my path if I didn’t let my shyness run my life. I missed out on a lot of opportunities because the lack of confidence within myself. So if Morse High School can implement a change that is yielding positive results we as a community, as a nation, need to keep pushing forward in truly helping the people that are silently going through schools or disrupting other students along the way. There is a solution for everyone if we all work together.

The Optimistic Perspective: This Is a Sign of a Better Future

The optimist in me says this story is a step in the right direction for our future. A high school in Maine made a feature in the Washington Post where millions of people will read the story and hopefully be inspired to bring well needed change to their school districts. We can only hope for the best and no matter what we will always figure it out!

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