Pass it Along

It is dark these days as make my way to my desk in the morning. I often sit and reflect before I hunker down to the task of the day. I offer gratitude for all that I have; there is not a day that goes by that I am not grateful for the work I am able to do - for the teachers and support staff that work so hard to help children. Working with teachers and young people is something that fills me with thankfulness.

Acknowledgment of gratitude has made its way into pop culture - and I think that is a good thing. As the world becomes more alive with the onslaught of technology, stopping and pausing about what is good becomes very important. We offer light to children as teachers and educators. Our 'job' is to help them sort through the sea of information that makes its way onto their screens. So whether you are an administrator or teacher it doesn't matter, what matters is what you teach. I am not talking about the grade or the subject matter; Kindergarten or French, Algebra, Russian or Biology. No, it is what we teach that can make a difference in how we help to form the young people who look to us as they learn. Do we teach kindness, empathy and respect? Do we teach caring, with responsibility and love. We need to understand that we have a rare opportunity to bring hope to young people when the world can seem like a dark place. I believe it is possible to fill students with not only knowledge, but also gratitude, a hunger to learn, and the ability to care - for themselves and the world they live in. 

I am thankful for the many possibilities that we each have, every day to give to each other. Please, write it down, share it with a friend - be the light in the world when it can seem like a dark place. Share a smile - share your time! Your actions teach. Don't hold to tight - pass your gratitude along!