A Life Fully Examined

Experiencing the magic of a simple printing press!

Antoni Benaiges,
The Teacher Who
Promised the Sea,
is haunting me,
after seeing the movie
of his true life story!

He of unwavering conviction
and inspiration,
a young teacher
in Burgos, Spain,
adopting a new technique
of teaching and thinking,
encouraging children
first to be children.

Learn by exploring
what’s around them,
singing and dancing
and experiencing the magic 
of bringing their perceptions 
and personal stories to life
on a tabletop printing press 
the students used in class.

Enric Auquer as Antoni Benaiges in The Teacher Who Promised the Sea.

Antoni pushed back hard
against convention
and authority,
against the church 
and the Falangistas,
vocally expressing his opinion
and broadly advocating resistance.

He led a life
fully examined,
filled with purpose,
usefulness, 
and optimism.

I’d like to think 
I know myself as well
and would stand 
as strong 
for my convictions.

But would I have been willing
to pay the ultimate price
in 1935,
knowing the cost
of my beliefs
could be my life?