The Satiated Life

Abstract

This paper proposes a conceptual curricular framework centered on four interconnected milestones—sensemaking and intellectualism, learning self-determination, understanding of self and place, and cultivating a satiated life—as essential components of a transformative and liberatory education. Through the lens of currere and reflective autobiographical narratives, I examine how these elements intersect to shape meaningful learning experiences, beginning with my own rude intellectual awakening in high school after a confrontation of the hidden curriculum, extending to an imagined future curriculum rooted in agency and environmental stewardship. The paper culminates with a synthesis inspired by the life and recent passing of my grandfather, John Bilal, I, whose self-determined pursuit of knowledge defied systems of oppression and embodied a fulfilled, meaningful existence. Grounded in currere, this exploration highlights the liberatory potential of education as a process that fosters self-actualization, critical inquiry, and a profound sense of connection to self, community, and the natural world.