by Ale Menendez
It’s no secret that Mr. Steve O’Brien (OB) is a legend in the halls at Columbus. From his founding of the Castaways Against Cancer program to his dedication as a teacher and coach, OB is certainly regarded as one of the GOATs. But something about him that widely goes unnoticed is his use of mindfulness and yoga. Something that goes even further unnoticed is his lifelong journey of achieving “nirvana.”
According to Webster, Nirvana is a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth.
“I’m not exactly sure when I started yoga,” said OB when asked about his journey. “I think I was at a Grateful Dead concert with my buddy Mr. Scholer, and some long hair hippie dude told us that we had to try it.”
After practicing yoga and mindfulness for over 30 years at Columbus, Mr. O’Brien has already seen some positive results.
“I used to rage for probably about six periods a day. But you know, now I’d say that I only average about two."
However, on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 9, Mr. Hermida noticed something strange while walking over to OB’s room for his usual morning chat.
“I knocked on the door of his class like always,” said Mr. Hermida. “But I saw something that I never had before. He was levitating. At first I thought I could be seeing things, after all, I don’t get much sleep having to stay up and grade my student’s essays, but after I rubbed my eyes, it was clear that he was actually floating in the air.”
After calling over his A-building buddies in Cowboy and Mr. Morrissey, Mr. Hermida further explored the scene and asked his colleagues about what this could mean.
“The only Nirvana I know is that band,” said Mr. Connell.
But after realizing that this certainly wasn’t about rock, the three further tried to investigate the scene. But as soon as they opened the door, Mr. O’Brien dropped to the ground and greeted them like nothing had happened.
“I asked him if he was alright,” said Mr. Hermida. “But all he said was that he was fine and asked if I could help him get his computer started. I guess some things never change.”
Still, Mr. O'Brien denies anything ever happened.
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about,” said OB when asked about how it feels to have finally achieved Nirvana. “I have not achieved Nirvana at all, if I did do you really think that I’d still be working here? Oh, don't tell Mr. Pugh I said that either.”
But "Nirvana-gate," as the students have called it, continues as a mystery. OB still denies it, and no one else has caught him floating again.
If you want to be like Mr. O’Brien, stop by the Mindfulness Club after school on Tuesdays.
Great writer