Commitment, Courage, Clarity, Caring, and Community. These were the five words we focused on during our stay at Governor's School. On the second day, we were each given leather bracelettes to tie around our wrists or wherever we felt appropriate. We began by turning to the person nearest us and tieing the bracelette around the other's person. The five words were to be represent by five small beads we each had to earn. At the end of each day, those who felt ready to earn a certain bead stood at the front of the group and explained their reason--what they had done or learned--that entitled them to the appropriate bead.
Though the leather rotted away over time from overuse I've kept all of my beads. The bead is so worn it even looks mottled quite like the graphic above. The commitment bead is a round blue wooden bead. Perhaps the color which often represents loyalty was chosen purposely. We were each given the Commitment bead the first night, to symbolize our commitment to the challenge that was the Governor's School. Our commitment to ourselves and each other, our commitment to our commu