It's a joy to see Marie Harel, the principal of Uplands Park School, walking down the hall greeting children, parents and teachers. It's easy to see she loves her job and that she's good at it ... really good at it.

She exudes caring, class, style, and confidence, so I wasn't surprised two years ago to learn that she was about to attend a Think Tank for educators at Oxford University in England; however, I was absolutely shocked last week when I learned how she was feeling before she left for the event.

"I felt unworthy and inferior," she told me. "I felt I wasn't good enough to be amongst these scholars so I thought, 'I'm just going to go, face my fears, and see what it's all about.'

A little later in our conversation she described the payoff she received from attending the event.

"It was like an epiphany for me," she enthused. "I came back so moved and changed in many ways. I feel more confident and grounded, willing to take risks, and not so afraid of criticism as I once was."

Face Your Fears And Do It Anyway is the title of a book, it's also a lesson many of us need to learn, a lesson I assumed Marie Harel had learned years ago.

The Oxford opportunity to face her fear and do it anyway dusted off a long held dream where she saw herself being celebrated in New York for her artwork. Not so deep down, she has always dreamed of being a successful abstract artist.

Within a week of getting back from Oxford, she called, Aleta Crawford, a teacher, artist and friend and asked her to be her mentor.

A few weeks after that, Marie's home was filled with paint and canvases and she had her weekend routine in place. Up early, run with the dogs, clean the house, and paint for the next ten hours.

The more she has studied and worked at her art, the more she has confirmed her belief in the importance of lifelong learning, especially if you are working with children.

"Children are so full of joy and wonder," she exuded. "If you are the person teaching them and you're not connected to that, it's really unfortunate ... I always need to be in touch with just how difficult learning can be at times, how frustrating it can be, and how to get past those blocks."

When I heard that Marie had taken up painting, I wasn't surprised to learn that she had been asked to donate one of her works to the Second Annual Boys and Girls Club Art With Heart Auction (next Saturday, 7 pm at Gallery 223). If you come to the auction, you won't be surprised either. She's good.

You'll also see a lot of other great art, enjoy live jazz music, good food, and the company of a hundred or so interesting people (all dressed in their best bib and tucker). Call 754-3215 for tickets.

By the way how do you think Marie responded when she was asked to donate a piece of her work?

"It's too soon," she exclaimed, "too early, I'm not ready." But then she did it anyway.

Facing your fear and doing it anyway isn't a lesson you learn once and then suddenly all your fears disappear. Instead they just keep coming up and you keep on facing them time, after time, after time.

Now I see that Marie had in fact learned the lesson many years ago. That's why she has been so successful.

How many of your talents are hidden behind your fear?