Very touching.
“You get what you get, and you don’t throw a fit.” This is what is being taught to the youngsters so they don’t complain during the school day. They have it memorized and it is heard many times throughout the day. One may receive a yellow crayon and that is what he can draw with, no exceptions. They learn just to accept what life hands them.
No one tells them that there is/can be more to the story. There could be an asterisk attached to the saying- They could share with one another. They could throw a fit. Hey, life isn’t fair and sometimes you have to stand up when injustices are done.
But no, they continue to be drilled with these sayings. When I was a kid it was, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Really? Words will never hurt me? Well I don’t believe that.
To them, it didn’t matter that you repeatedly asked them to stop talking and get back to work. To them, it didn’t matter that they answered a question wrong. To them, it didn’t matter that they were behind in their lesson.
What mattered was that they knew you cared. They knew, if they waited patiently long enough, I would answer their question. They knew that they could trust me with a piece of information. When I greeted them in the morning with a friendly, “Hello! How are you today?” they knew I truly wanted to know how they were doing. When I gave them a pat on the back, they knew I was praising their efforts. They knew I had not given up on them and believed they could do it.
It’s the little words, moments, gestures, looks, etc. throughout the day that remind you that you are someone special in these individuals’ lives. It makes me smile when they wave or greet you by your name in the hallway. Just a smile back their way or a high five enhances their days. Letting them tell you a story, what happened last night, what they wrote, etc. is a powerful moment. These individuals crave attention and feel so proud when it is given to them. Especially with the little ones, one-on-one time is like winning the lottery. They always ask and wish it could happen more often.
You know that you are doing the right thing when after a long day, those individuals cheerfully wave and call you by name, saying, “Good-bye.” How can you not smile while your heart melts?
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
-Leo F. Buscaglia
